A Strategy to Re-Take the Catholic Vote (in Louisiana First, Then in the Nation)

We need to push the envelope a little more in Louisiana, more specifically with the Catholic vote.

A Santorum beachhead for the Catholic vote is ideal in Louisiana.

In OH, state data showed that Mitt took some 40-ish% of Catholics, while Rick took a 30-ish% range.  (I'm not sure if Newt was a variable in this.)  I believe OH data reflected a national Catholic voting pattern.

A campaign objective, then, would be to reverse this trend beginning in Louisiana.

*Consider the following:

1.) 1 out of 4 LA residents are Catholic (at least in name).  
2.) LA ranks 12th in the Nation for the highest percentage of Catholics per state.
3.) Among the top 25 states with the highest percentage of Catholics per state, only 2 are Southern States: Louisiana and Texas (if TX can be considered a Southern state).
4.) Over half of the top 10 states with the highest percentage of Catholics per state are predominately New England states that have upcoming primaries.  Louisiana Catholics have a chance to lead the way for fellow Catholic voters in the North.

If Catholics vote for Rick over Mitt in LA, then this would break the Catholic voting trend currently favoring Mitt which the media is so fond to report.

It would be one less victory for Mitt and another bragging right for Rick.  The victory would also be psychological and headline-worthy.

LA would be ideal to show that Santorum won't write off the Catholic vote and will actually fight for it.  Polls show Rick in a comfortable lead in LA, so we can afford this effort.

Lead the way, Pelican State!  WE PICK RICK!

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*Source: 2007 Our Sunday Visitor's Catholic Almanac
Primary Source: The Official Catholic Directory, 2006; figures are as of January 1, 2006.

Highest percentage of Catholics per state population.

Ranking	Percentage of Catholics per State population	State	Number of Catholics
1	59.2%	Rhode Island	640,274
2	42.7%	Massachusetts	4,865,216
3	41.1%	New Jersey	3,605,265
4	38.7%	Connecticut	1,357,992
5	37.6%	New York	7,433,366
6	29.9%	Illinois	3,867,102
7	29.4%	Pennsylvania	3,614,694
8	29.2%	Texas	6,742,690
9	29.0%	Wisconsin	1,605,155
10	28.8%	California	10,906,992
11	27.7%	Nevada	661,300
12	26.1%	Louisiana - 2005 total	816,260
13	24.0%	New Hampshire	314,471
14	22.2%	North Dakota	145,789
15	21.9%	Washington, D.C.	575,824
16	21.5%	Minnesota	1,093,533
17	21.4%	New Mexico	494,449
18	21.4%	Nebraska	375,808
19	20.5%	Michigan	2,064,103
20	20.5%	South Dakota	154,435
21	19.0%	Vermont	118,000
22	18.5%	Ohio	2,128,619
23	18.3%	Delaware	230,000
24	17.1%	Iowa	494,698
25	16.9%	Maryland	517,679
26	15.7%	Arizona	908,123
27	15.1%	Kansas	406,916
28	15.1%	Maine	193,228
29	14.7%	Missouri	835,581
30	14.7%	Colorado	666,213
31	12.7%	Florida	2,265,450
32	12.3%	Indiana	767,349
33	12.1%	Oregon	432,170
34	12.1%	Montana	110,409
35	12.0%	Washington State	745,614
36	11.3%	Hawaii	143,240
37	10.4%	Idaho	148,100
38	9.7%	Kentucky	387,062
39	9.7%	Wyoming	49,121
40	8.7%	Alaska	55,643
41	8.3%	Utah	200,000
42	8.1%	Virginia	620,399
43	5.1%	Georgia	441,749
44	4.6%	Oklahoma	160,878
45	4.6%	West Virginia	82,749
46	4.0%	Mississippi	117,942
47	3.9%	North Carolina	336,738
48	3.9%	Arkansas	107,524
49	3.7%	South Carolina	157,450
50	3.4%	Alabama	153,939
51	3.2%	Tennessee	190,684