If Barrett joins, Supreme Court would have six Catholics

UNDATED (AP)- Roman Catholics account for a bit more than 20% of the U.S. population. Yet they are on track to hold six of the Supreme Court’s nine seats now that President Donald Trump has nominated Amy Coney Barrett to fill a vacancy. It’s a striking development given that the high court, for most of its history, was almost entirely populated by white male Protestants. Catholic academics and political analysts offer several explanations for the turnaround. They cite Catholics’ educational traditions, their interest in the law, and – in the case of Catholic conservatives – an outlook that has appealed to recent Republican presidents. Barrett is a favorite of conservative activists for her views on abortion and other