After three primaries, numerous debates and more than a year of campaigning, not one Democratic or Republican presidential candidate earned a net "favorable" score among registered voters across various faith groups in a recent Barna Group poll.
The best net scores - subtracting candidates' very unfavorable ratings from their very favorable ratings - were earned by Florida Sen. Marco Rubio (minus 9) among Republicans and Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders (minus 7) among Democrats. The worst score went to businessman Donald Trump (minus 32).
A shade more than eight months out from the presidential election, the poll shows the dissatisfaction the electorate has with candidates in both parties. Unfortunately, with the field likely set, it's a dissatisfaction that is bound to carry over to the general election.
Thus, in the fall, Americans may elect - Republican or Democrat - one of the least popular candidates ever to come out of party nominating conventions.
The Barna poll reveals Rubio did best among evangelicals (plus 27) and Catholics (plus 3), while Sanders did best among religious skeptics (plus 20) and voters of others faiths (plus 10). Trump's worst rating came from religious skeptics (minus 49) and his best from Catholics (minus 19).
Hillary Clinton, who is likely to be the Democratic nominee despite the current popularity of Sanders among millennials, was most popular (plus 2) among people of of other faiths (Judaism, Islam, Buddhism, Hinduism) and least popular (minus 61) among evangelicals. That rating by evangelicals was easily the lowest of any candidate in any faith group.
Among Republican Party voters only, Rubio was consistently popular (averaging plus 16.4) among all faith groups. Texas Sen. Ted Cruz had higher highs and lower lows than the Florida senator but wound up slightly lower than Rubio (averaging plus 16) among all groups.
Interestingly, retired pediatric neurosurgeon Ben Carson received positive ratings from three groups and negative marks from four, while Ohio Gov. John Kasich had nominally negative marks from all seven groups.
Despite the favorability ratings, among Republican voters specifically, Trump is the candidate they would vote for across most faith groups. Evangelicals and practicing Christians opted for Cruz.
Given the findings, it appears faith could play less of a role among voters on whom the nominee of either party is, or on whom is elected in November, than at any time since probably 1972.
Whether voters of faith live to regret that may not be known until 2020.