It’s difficult to pull together any type of comprehensive analysis of the wide-raging results.  In its own summary, Pew highlights the perceived religiosity of the leading candidates (Romney is seen as the “most religious” (although it’s not clear that helps him; his Mormonism remains a real issue for voters), and Giuliani and Clinton are seen as the least “religious.”  (It is, to say the least, interesting to read this together with a story in the new issue of Mother Jones (“Hillary's Prayer: Hillary Clinton's Religion and Politics”) which reports on her long-standing participation in a “secretive” Capitol Hill prayer group.)

I think that more important the findings about particular candidates – which will clearly rise and fall in the year (the year!) between now and the election – is the data showing what voters are interested in.  It’s not gay marriage or other “social issues.”  Here’s the key paragraph from the report:

More than three-quarters of Americans (78%) say domestic issues such as the economy, health care and the environment will be very important in their decisions about whom to support for president; 72% say the same about the war in Iraq. By comparison, just 38% say that social issues like abortion and gay marriage will be very important in their voting decisions.

it turns out that the old sign on (Bill) Clinton's Little Rock campaign headquaters is still true – it’s the economy, stupid.   And that’s a great lesson for all the candidates.

More about this data-rich poll later….