Christian Nationalism and U.S. Politics

A new 50‑state survey from the Public Religion Research Institute finds that about one‑third of Americans qualify as Christian nationalism 'adherents' or 'sympathizers,' with the ideology now representing a majority current inside the Republican Party and in many GOP‑run states. Conducted from Feb. 18 to Dec. 8, 2025 with 22,111 adults, the poll shows 56% of Republicans meet the Christian nationalism threshold, compared with 25% of independents and 17% of Democrats, and identifies Arkansas and Oklahoma—where Republicans hold roughly 80% of legislative seats—as among the states with the highest support, while blue states like California, New York and Washington are lowest. PRRI’s five‑question scale gauges agreement with ideas such as declaring the U.S. a Christian nation and basing laws on Christian values, and the new data show those scores have stayed largely steady over three years even as the country grows more diverse and less religious overall. The report also finds strong overlap between Christian nationalism and far‑right positions on immigration and executive power: 67% of adherents say immigrants are 'invading' and replacing American culture, 61% support deporting undocumented immigrants to foreign prisons without due process, and 73% see Donald Trump as a strong leader who should be given the power he needs, while skeptics are more likely to call him a dangerous dictator. Researchers and critics quoted in the piece argue that, although Christian nationalism remains a minority view nationally, its dominance among Republicans has growing implications for state and federal policy on immigration, pluralism, gender roles and the scope of presidential authority heading into 2026.