White evangelical Christians in the US again threw their support behind Donald Trump’s bid to retain the presidency in this week’s election, although there was a significant fall compared to 2016.

Exit polls showed that 75% of white evangelicals voted for Trump this year, compared with 81% four years ago. The group, which makes up almost one in five of the US electorate, carries significant weight and was credited with being a major factor in Trump’s 2016 victory.

The 6% fall in support for Trump between 2016 and 2020 may have been critical in key battleground states that are deciding the outcome of the election.

But in Georgia, where votes are still being counted in a tight race, exit polls suggested that 85% of white evangelical Christians voted