An overwhelming majority of Americans believe the nomination of a Supreme Court Justice to replace the late Antonin Scalia should be an “immediate priority” and want this replacement to interpret the Constitution as it was originally written – not as a Justice thinks it means today. Majorities are also calling for quick action in preserving religious freedom.

According to the Knights of Columbus, the new Marist poll surveyed almost 3,000 adults between December 12 and 19 and found overwhelming bipartisan support for the immediate necessity of appointing a new justice to the nation’s highest court who will apply the Constitution as it was originally intended.

“Eight in 10 Americans (80 percent) say it is an ‘immediate priority’ or an ‘important’ one to appoint Supreme Court justices that will interpret the Constitution as it was originally written,” reports the Knights. This number includes 53 percent of Independents, 80 percent of Republicans and 42 percent of Democrats.

A majority of Americans (52 percent vs. 40 percent) want the Court to interpret the Constitution as it was originally written, not as a justice thinks it means now.

Protecting religious freedom also scored very highly among the American public with the vast majority of citizens believing religious freedom should be protected even if it conflicts with government laws (65 percent vs. 25 percent).

“Almost 9 in 10 Americans (89 percent) also see protecting religious freedom as a priority, including 57 percent who describe it as an ‘immediate priority’ and 32 percent who consider it an ‘important’ one,” the Knights report.

This issue also proved to have bipartisan support with 51 percent of Independents, 55 percent of Democrats and 66 percent of Republicans saying that the protection of religious freedom is an “immediate priority.”

“Majorities of Americans – regardless of party – have embraced religious freedom and have rightly rejected the false notion that it is something negative. They overwhelming support the protection of our first freedom, the free exercise of religion,” said Supreme Knight Carl Anderson.

“And not surprisingly, most Americans value the freedoms enumerated in the Constitution and its Bill of Rights, and therefore see as an immediate priority the appointment of justices to the Supreme Court who will interpret the document as written.”

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