NEWS AND OPINION:
Based on a new demographic projection, Pew Research Center senior religion analyst Besheer Mohamed now estimates there are 3.3 million Muslims in the U.S. — a number expected to reach over 8 million by 2050. “Recent political debates in the U.S. over Muslim immigration and related issues have prompted many to ask how many Muslims actually live in the United States. But coming up with an answer is not easy, in part because the U.S. Census Bureau does not ask questions about religion, meaning that there is no official government count of the U.S. Muslim population,” Mr. Mohamed writes in his new analysis.
“Our projections suggest the U.S. Muslim population will grow faster than the Hindu population and much faster than the Jewish population in the coming decades. Indeed, even before 2040, Muslims are projected to become the second-largest religious group in the U.S., after Christians.”
Just over half of the projected growth of the American Muslim population from 2010 to 2015 is due to immigration, the analyst says, adding, “The other main cause of Islam’s recent growth is natural increase. American Muslims tend to have more children than Americans of other religious faiths. Muslims also tend to be younger than the general public, so a larger share of Muslims will soon be at the point in their lives when people begin having children.”
HEADLINE DU JOUR
“Hillary’s Watergate looms”
— From PJ Media founder Roger L. Simon, who explains, “Of all the welter of predictions for 2016, by far the most dramatic seems to have been given short shrift or swept under the rug — the possible indictment of Hillary Clinton while running for the presidency. Were such an event to occur, it would dominate our culture as nothing since Watergate.”
SEE ALSO: Missing U.S. Hellfire missile located in Cuba
FOR THE LEXICON
“Leaders Number One”
— New man’s scent inspired by Russian President Vladimir Putin and created by perfumer Vladislav Rekunov. The new cologne is based on lemon, black currant and fir, is packaged in a black bottle featuring a silhouette of Mr. Putin and is now on sale at Moscow’s luxury GUM department store for 6,500 rubles, or $95. It is part of a new range of Putin-themed items, according to Reuters, to enhance his “cult of personalty.”
MR. BOLTON STEPS UP
He’s still very serious about “national security candidates.” Former U.N. Ambassador John R. Bolton has endorsed 16 members of Congress running for re-election; the John Bolton PAC will contribute $100,000 to them to maintain House and Senate majorities, and another $10,000 to support the New Hampshire GOP.
The lawmakers in question: Sens. John McCain, Mark Kirk, Joe Heck, Kelly Ayotte, Richard Burr, Rob Portman, Pat Toomey and Ron Johnson plus Reps Martha McSally, Mike Coffman, Bob Dold, Lee Zeldin, Elise Stefanik, John Katko, Will Hurd and Barbara Comstock.
SEE ALSO: RNC launches ad campaign to highlight diversity in GOP field organizers
Mr. Bolton says It’s all meant to ensure that America elects officials “who will vote for a strong national defense and keep America safe.”
WEEKEND CANDIDATE TRACKER
Iowa frenzy underway. Now on a “Martin O’Malley Unplugged Tour,” the Democratic hopeful of the same name has 11 events this weekend; he could run into Sen. Bernard Sanders, who’s got 10 stops. Among Republicans in the Hawkeye State: Rick Santorum with 14 events, Sen. Rand Paul (10 events), Sen. Ted Cruz (11) and Ben Carson (3).
South Carolina is also calling the GOP. Mr. Carson arrives Saturday for five events, before immediately returning to Iowa for five more appearances. Donald Trump will be in Rock Hill to stage a jumbo rally at Winthrop University. The Jack Kemp Foundation’s “Forum on Expanding Opportunity” in Columbia on Saturday is moderated by House Speaker Paul Ryan and Sen. Tim Scott; Gov. Nikki Haley and Sen. Lindsey Graham will also attend. Seven Republican hopefuls have their say: Sen. Marco Rubio, Govs. Chris Christie and John Kasich, Jeb Bush, Mr. Carson, Carly Fiorina and Mike Huckabee.
New Hampshire is a lonely place. The sole visitor is Mr. Rubio, who is campaigning this weekend with Rep. Jason Chaffetz in Concord. The busy Mr. Rubio also manages to be in North Carolina for a single event on Saturday.
Hillary Clinton, meanwhile, is primarily on the fundraising trail at the moment. She has plenty of people campaigning on her behalf this weekend, however. In Iowa, it’s Sen. Al Franken, actress Lena Dunham and Emily’s List president Stephanie Schrlock; Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe appears at six events in his commonwealth, also on behalf of Mrs. Clinton.
WEEKEND REAL ESTATE
For sale: Iowa Victorian, built circa 1890 in Albia, Iowa. Four bedrooms, two baths, 2,300 square feet. Original hardwood floors, Victorian paint color scheme, ornate curved oak staircase and woodworking; sitting parlor, formal dining room with built-in china closet, eat-in kitchen, pocket doors. Two car garage, new central air conditioning and roof, updated plumbing and electric, wrap-around verandah with second floor balcony, mature trees. Priced at $105,000 through UnitedCountry.com; enter 14010-17124 under “nationwide search” heading.
POLL DU JOUR
• 81 percent of Americans have a favorable opinion of working-class people; 88 percent of Republicans, 74 percent of independents and 85 percent of Democrats agree.
• 80 percent overall have a favorable opinion of middle-class people; 90 percent of Republicans, 72 percent of independents and 84 percent of Democrats agree.
• 46 percent overall consider themselves working-class people; 34 percent of Republicans, 46 percent of independents and 55 percent of Democrats agree.
• 41 percent overall consider themselves middle-class people; 58 percent of Republicans, 39 percent of independents and 33 percent of Democrats agree.
• 37 percent overall have a favorable opinion of upper-class people; 60 percent of Republicans, 35 percent of independents and 25 percent of Democrats agree.
• 2 percent overall consider themselves upper class people; 0 percent of Republicans, 3 percent of independents and 3 percent of Democrats agree.
Source: A YouGov poll of 993 U.S. adults conducted Dec. 28-30 and released Thursday.
• Indignation, churlish remarks to jharper@washingtontimes.com.
• Jennifer Harper can be reached at jharper@washingtontimes.com.
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