As preparations continue for Pope Francis’ arrival to the U.S later this month, which will include an historic address to Congress, the question is not just how his visit to the U.S. might affect the presidential race, but how much, say political experts.

“If I were a Republican candidate, I’d crawl over ground glass to get a photo-op with Francis,” said David M. Kennedy, the Pulitzer prize winning American historian and an emeritus professor at Stanford University.

One-in-five Americans identify as Catholic, and more than six in 10 Americans, including 89 percent of Catholics, have a favorable opinion of Pope Francis, according to a poll released by Quinnipiac University earlier this month.

When Francis becomes the first Pope to address a joint session of Congress — 30 percent of which is Catholic — he will be speaking to four current GOP U.S. Senators who are also running for President. Many others in the 16-deep GOP 2016 field may also seek an audience with His Holiness. Gov. Chris Christie, who is Catholic, will be among them, the governor’s spokesman confirms.

Read the article “How is Pope Francis Influencing the 2016 Campaign?” on nj.com.