Interesting column by Beliefnet’s Steven Waldman. This may seem obvious, but it’s easy to forget–what with all the talk about the “liberal mainline”–that mainline Protestants in the pews are not necessarily all that liberal (Bush won the mainline vote in 2004).

Indeed, according to Waldman, a little over four in 10 describe themselves as conservative, while 16% identify as liberal, though, overall, they seem to skew more toward being fiscally conservative and socially liberal or moderate. Waldman attributes the surge for Obama (pardon the expression) to concern with the economy and discomfort with the rhetoric of the Religious right. Not to mention the Obama campaign’s religious outreach, which has specifically targeted mainline Protestants and “moderate” evangelicals.