"The time has come to present a proposal based on the aim that when we obtain the presidency, we must not only seek to achieve material well-being, we must also seek well-being for the soul," Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador says.

The favourite to win July's election told voters: "Just as we already have a political constitution, we are going to elaborate a moral constitution." Read more

The survey indicated people are of the view the import of religion in politics is a reasonably recent occurrence, with Democrats and independents being the main culprits.

However, according to a Washington Post-ABC poll released last week, in general, Americans continue to think the nation has gone too far in keeping religion and government separate

The poll showed Americans to be more wary of religion's influence on politicians themselves: 63 percent continue to say political leaders should not rely on their religious beliefs in making policy decisions.

Supporters of Republican presidential hopeful Rick Santorum, a clearly identified Catholic, take a very different view on religion's role in politics in both polls.

Nearly 60% of Santorum's supporters in the Post-ABC poll say the country has gone too far in keeping church and state separate compared with fewer than 40% of Mitt Romney's supporters or the overall public says this.

While 30 percent of all Americans and 24% of Romney backers say there's been "too little" talk of faith and politics in the Pew survey, that surges to 55% among Santorum's supporters.

Turning the attention of the Poll to US President, Barack Obama, nearly twice as many white Catholics say the Obama administration is unfriendly toward religion as said this two years ago, (up from 17 to 31%).

It is not clear why people are thinking this way, however pollsters suggest it might be the result of the birth control controversy, although Obama's approval rating among white Catholics has changed little since the controversy gained steam.

Source

• Washington Post
• Image: Washington Post

The poll also revealed that although most Americans want a president with strong religious beliefs, only 40% were able to identify the religious beliefs of the current leading candidates.

20% of Americans identified President Obama as a Muslim despite his publicly identifying himself as a Christian, and only 40% identified Mitt Romney as a Mormon.

Out of those identifying themselves as Republicans, 71% want a religious president, while only 51% Democrats were in agreement.

A majority of those who feel a president needs to be a religious person support Mitt Romney and Michele Backmann over President Obama.

The survey was conducted by phone using a random sample of 1,012 adults living in a private house.

The poll's confidence level is 95% with a 3% margin of error.

Sources:

• Public Religion Research Institute
• Christian Post
• Image: John Armstrong