Religious affiliation in the United States Senate

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The religious affiliation in the United States Senate reflects the variety of religion in the United States, despite not being in line with the religious affiliation of the general population.

While the religious preference of elected officials is by no means an indication of their allegiance nor necessarily reflective of their voting record, the religious affiliation of prominent members of all three branches of government is a source of commentary and discussion among the media and public. The topic is also of interest to religious groups and the general public who may appeal to senators of their denomination on religious or moral issues facing the United States Senate.

This list reports the religious affiliation of the members of the United States Senate in the 119th United States Congress. In most cases, in addition to specific sources, the senators' religious affiliations are those mentioned by the Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life at the Pew Research Center, which publishes a report at the beginning of each Congress.[1][2]

Christians (86)

Protestants (59)

Baptists (12)

More information Senator, Party ...
Senator Party State Religion Notes
Angela Alsobrooks Democrat Maryland Baptist Denomination: Converge; member of First Baptist Church of Glenarden.[3]
Cory Booker Democrat New Jersey Baptist[4] Denomination: NBC;[5] raised as a Methodist.[6]
John Boozman Republican Arkansas Baptist[7][8] Denomination: SBC.
Ted Cruz Republican Texas Baptist[9][10] Denomination: SBC.
Lindsey Graham Republican South Carolina Baptist[11][12] Denomination: SBC.
Chuck Grassley Republican Iowa Baptist[13][14] Denomination: BGC; attends a non-denominational church.[15]
Cindy Hyde-Smith Republican Mississippi Baptist[16] Denomination: SBC.
Jim Justice Republican West Virginia Baptist Denomination: ABC.[17][18][19]
James Lankford Republican Oklahoma Baptist[20][21] Denomination: SBC; former student ministries and evangelism specialist for the BGCO.
Mitch McConnell Republican Kentucky Baptist[22][23] Denomination: SBC.
Raphael Warnock Democrat Georgia Baptist Former associated pastor of Abyssinian Baptist Church, affiliated to NBC;
senior pastor of Ebenezer Baptist Church, affiliated to PNBC and ABC.
Roger Wicker Republican Mississippi Baptist[24][25] Denomination: SBC.
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Presbyterians (12)

More information Senator, Party ...
Senator Party State Religion Notes
Jim Banks Republican Indiana Presbyterian Denomination: EPC.
John Barrasso Republican Wyoming Presbyterian[26][27] Denomination: PCUSA; former Catholic.
Marsha Blackburn Republican Tennessee Presbyterian[28] Denomination: PCA.
Shelley Moore Capito Republican West Virginia Presbyterian[29] Denomination: PCUSA.
Chris Coons Democratic Delaware Presbyterian[30][31] Denomination: PCUSA;[32] attends a Catholic church.[33]
Steve Daines Republican Montana Presbyterian[34] Denomination: EPC.[35][36]
Deb Fischer Republican Nebraska Presbyterian[37][38]
Josh Hawley Republican Missouri Presbyterian[39] Denomination: EPC;[39] raised as a Methodist.[40]
Andy Kim Democrat New Jersey Presbyterian[41]
Rand Paul Republican Kentucky Presbyterian[42][43] Denomination: PCUSA;[44] raised as an Episcopalian.[45][46]
Tina Smith Democrat Minnesota Presbyterian[2] Swore by an old Heilige Bibel, a family Bible.[47]
Mark Warner Democrat Virginia Presbyterian[48][49]
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Non-denominational Evangelicals (6)

More information Senator, Party ...
Senator Party State Religion Notes
Lisa Blunt Rochester Democrat Delaware Non-denominational Evangelical
Ted Budd Republican North Carolina Non-denominational Evangelical[50]
Bill Cassidy Republican Louisiana Non-denominational Evangelical[51]
Rick Scott Republican Florida Non-denominational Evangelical[52] Former Presbyterian.[52]
Tim Scott Republican South Carolina Non-denominational Evangelical[53][54]
John Thune Republican South Dakota Non-denominational Evangelical[55][56]
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Lutherans (6)

More information Senator, Party ...
Senator Party State Religion Notes
Joni Ernst Republican Iowa Lutheran[57][58][59] Denomination: ELCA.
Martin Heinrich Democrat New Mexico Lutheran[57][60][61] Denomination: ELCA.
Ron Johnson Republican Wisconsin Lutheran[57][62][63] Denomination: WELS.
Cynthia Lummis Republican Wyoming Lutheran[57][64] Denomination: LCMS.
Jeff Merkley Democrat Oregon Lutheran[57][65][66] Denomination: ELCA.
Tim Sheehy Republican Montana Lutheran[2]
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Methodists (5)

More information Senator, Party ...
Senator Party State Religion Notes
Katie Britt Republican Alabama Methodist[67] Denomination: UMC.[67][68][69]
Tom Cotton Republican Arkansas Methodist[70] Denomination: UMC.[71]
John Kennedy Republican Louisiana Methodist[72] Denomination: UMC.[72]
Jerry Moran Republican Kansas Methodist[73][74] Attends a Presbyterian church.[75]
Elizabeth Warren Democrat Massachusetts Methodist[76][77] Denomination: UMC;[78] attends various churches.[79]
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Episcopalians (5)

More information Senator, Party ...
Senator Party State Religion Notes
Bill Hagerty Republican Tennessee Episcopalian[2]
Angus King Independent
(caucusing with Democrats)		 Maine Episcopalian[80][81][82]
Gary Peters Democrat Michigan Episcopalian[80][83][84]
Chris Van Hollen Democrat Maryland Episcopalian[80][85]
Sheldon Whitehouse Democrat Rhode Island Episcopalian[80][86][87]
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Restorationists (3)

More information Senator, Party ...
Senator Party State Religion Notes
John Cornyn Republican Texas Restorationist[88][89] Denomination: Churches of Christ.
Roger Marshall Republican Kansas Restorationist Denomination: Christian Church (Disciples of Christ).[90][91]
Tommy Tuberville Republican Alabama Restorationist[92] Denomination: Churches of Christ.
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Congregationalists (2)

More information Senator, Party ...
Senator Party State Religion Notes
Maggie Hassan Democrat New Hampshire Congregationalist Denomination: UCC.
Amy Klobuchar Democrat Minnesota Congregationalist[93][94] Denomination: UCC.
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Pentecostals (1)

More information Senator, Party ...
Senator Party State Religion Notes
Kevin Cramer Republican North Dakota Pentecostal Denomination: ICFG;[95] former Lutheran.
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Quakers (1)

More information Senator, Party ...
Senator Party State Religion Notes
John Hickenlooper Democrat Colorado Quaker[96] "Raised on the periphery of the Episcopal Church",[97]
but misidentified as an Episcopalian in the Pew Report.[2]
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Unspecified Protestants (6)

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Senator Party State Religion Notes
Alan Armstrong Republican Oklahoma Protestant
Dave McCormick Republican Pennsylvania Protestant[2]
Ashley Moody Republican Florida Protestant
Chris Murphy Democrat Connecticut Protestant[98][99] Raised as a Congregationalist.[100]
Jeanne Shaheen Democrat New Hampshire Protestant[101][102]
Todd Young Republican Indiana Protestant[2]
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Catholics (24)

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Senator Party State Religion Notes
Maria Cantwell Democrat Washington Catholic[103][104]
Susan Collins Republican Maine Catholic[105][106]
Catherine Cortez Masto Democrat Nevada Catholic[107][108][109]
Dick Durbin Democrat Illinois Catholic[110][111]
Ruben Gallego Democrat Arizona Catholic[2]
Kirsten Gillibrand Democrat New York Catholic[112][113]
John Hoeven Republican North Dakota Catholic[114][115]
Jon Husted Republican Ohio Catholic
Tim Kaine Democrat Virginia Catholic[116][117]
Mark Kelly Democrat Arizona Catholic[2] His wife, former Rep. Gabby Giffords, is Jewish.
Ben Ray Luján Democrat New Mexico Catholic[2]
Ed Markey Democrat Massachusetts Catholic[118][119]
Bernie Moreno Republican Ohio Catholic
Lisa Murkowski Republican Alaska Catholic[120][121]
Patty Murray Democrat Washington Catholic[122][123]
Alex Padilla Democrat California Catholic[124]
Jack Reed Democrat Rhode Island Catholic[125][126]
Pete Ricketts Republican Nebraska Catholic[127]
Jim Risch Republican Idaho Catholic[128][129]
Mike Rounds Republican South Dakota Catholic[130][131]
Eric Schmitt Republican Missouri Catholic[132]
Dan Sullivan Republican Alaska Catholic[133]
Thom Tillis Republican North Carolina Catholic[134]
Peter Welch Democrat Vermont Catholic[135]
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Latter-day Saints (3)

More information Senator, Party ...
Senator Party State Religion Notes
Mike Crapo Republican Idaho Latter-day Saint[136][137]
John Curtis Republican Utah Latter-day Saint
Mike Lee Republican Utah Latter-day Saint[138][139]
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Jews (10)

More information Senator, Party ...
Senator Party State Religion Notes
Richard Blumenthal Democrat Connecticut Jewish[140][141]
Jon Ossoff Democrat Georgia Jewish[142]
Elissa Slotkin Democrat Michigan Jewish
Bernie Sanders Independent
(caucusing with Democrats)		 Vermont Jewish[143][144] Non-practicing.
Adam Schiff Democrat California Jewish[145]
Jacky Rosen Democrat Nevada Jewish[146][147]
Brian Schatz Democrat Hawaii Jewish[148][149]
Chuck Schumer Democrat New York Jewish[150][151]
Ron Wyden Democrat Oregon Jewish[152][153]
Michael Bennet Democrat Colorado Jewish[154]
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Buddhists (1)

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Senator Party State Religion Notes
Mazie Hirono Democrat Hawaii Buddhist[155][156] School: Jōdo Shinshū; non-practicing.
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Unknown or refused to specify (3)

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Senator Party State Religion Notes
Tammy Baldwin Democrat Wisconsin Unknown or refused to specify[2][157][158] Baptized as an Episcopalian.[159]
Tammy Duckworth Democrat Illinois Unknown or refused to specify[2] Sometimes acknowledged as Deist. Her father was a Baptist.[160]
John Fetterman Democrat Pennsylvania Unknown or refused to specify
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Comparison with general population

In conjunction with figures derived from the Pew Research Center's 2021 "survey of the religious composition of the United States",[2][161] the most basic breakdown of the above data indicates that 84% of the Senate identify as Christian (compared with 62% of the population), 9% identify as Jewish (compared with 2% of the population), 4% have unknown religious affiliation or refused to specify it (compared with 2% of the population), 1% identifies with other religions (compared with 5% of the population), while 0% identifies as unaffiliated (compared with 28% of the population).

According to figures derived from the Gallup Inc., in 2023 the most basic breakdown of the above data indicates that 86% of the Senate identify as Christian (compared with 67% of the population), 9% identify as Jewish (compared with 2% of the population), 4% have unknown religious affiliation or refused to specify it (compared with 3% of the population), 1% identifies with other religions (compared with 6% of the population), while 0% identifies as unaffiliated (compared with 22% of the population).

The unaffiliated are extremely under-represented, while Jews, Presbyterians, Lutherans and Episcopalians are particularly over-represented.

The following table compares reported religious affiliations of senators to religious statistics of the demographics of the United States:

More information Religion, Group ...
ReligionGroupNo. of senators% of senators% of populationRelative representation
ChristiansCatholics
24 / 100
24%20%120%
Presbyterians
12 / 100
12%2%600%
Baptists
12 / 100
12%11%109.09%
Non-denominational Evangelicals
6 / 100
6%8%75%
Lutherans
6 / 100
6%3%200%
Methodists
5 / 100
5%3%166.67%
Episcopalians
5 / 100
5%1%500%
Restorationists
3 / 100
3%1%300%
Pentecostals
1 / 100
1%4%25%
Other Protestants
10 / 100
10%8%125%
Latter-day Saints
3 / 100
3%1%300%
Jews
10 / 100
10%2%500%
Other religions
1 / 100
1%6%16.67%
Unknown or refused to specify
3 / 100
3%2%150%
Unaffiliated
0 / 100
0%28%0%
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See also

References

External links

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