The July 12th TIME magazine features an article How The Democrats Got Religion pointing to what they see as increasing amounts of faith discussions in this presidential campaign. They state :

A president has to be a preacher of sorts, instructing, consoling, summoning citizens to sacrifice for some common good. But candidates are competitors, which means they seldom manage to talk about faith in a way that doesn't disturb people, doesn't divide them, doesn't nail campaign posters on the gates of heaven. Republicans have been charged with exploiting religious voters, Democrats with ignoring them.