NEW YORK (CWNews.com) - A new survey released today found Catholic voters a key swing voting bloc in national election this fall, reversing a trend of 40 years ago when they were perceived to be a threat.

    When Catholic John F. Kennedy ran for president in 1962, some critics warned of "popery" and the influence of the Catholic Church in the highest executive office in the country. Now, in a new Wall Street Journal/NBC News poll, Catholics have become a key demographic, constituting an expected 29 percent of the November vote.

    "On both issues and political preferences, the poll suggests that Catholics, especially white Catholics, are up for grabs in the general election," said the Wall Street Journal." It may not be an exaggeration to say that whichever presidential candidate captures the Catholic vote in the fall will win the election."

    The survey found that the presumptive candidates, Republican George W. Bush and Democrat Al Gore, are in a virtual dead heat among all voters, but Gore holds 10 point lead among Catholics. The newspaper surmised the lead is the result Bush's visit to Bob Jones University, which has espoused anti-Catholic policies, and his rival Arizona Sen. John McCain's attempts to tar him as a tool of fundamentalist Christians.

    "In December, before these controversies arose, Mr. Bush had a 10-point advantage over the vice president among all Catholics," the newspaper said. "This seems to reflect the Republican front runner's problems rather than gains by Mr. Gore." It added that Catholics in the poll said Bush should have spoken out against the anti-Catholic bias of Bob Jones when he spoke there.