(RNS) When Democrat presidential contenders debate, they rarely play the God card or dress their policy positions in moral outrage.

But as they head into their fifth appearance together — a town hall hosted by CNN —  Monday (Jan. 25) they might be praying for viewers in the run-up to the Feb. 1 Iowa caucus.

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Compared to the contentious GOP debates, the confrontations have been tame among former secretary of state Hillary Clinton, Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders, and former Maryland Gov. Martin OMalley, who can scarcely get a word in edgewise.

According to TVbytheNumbers, the trio drew about 8.72 million viewers to the NBC broadcast debate, slightly more than their December debate.

Clinton, a Methodist who is endorsed by several pro-abortion rights and pro-gay-marriage groups, and Sanders, an irreligious cultural Jew who draws support from secular groups, are both routinely bashed by conservative Christians.

Speaker after speaker at the January 22 March for Life, led in Washington by Catholics and evangelicals, had the crowd booing at the prospect of a either Democrat  loading the Supreme Court with justices-for-life who would maintain legal abortion.

Undaunted, Clinton campaigned in Iowa on Monday with Human Rights Campaign president Chad Griffin at her side in Iowa.

The Clinton campaign also put out a video that implied Sanders would put Israel at risk with his foreign policy proposals for dealing with ISIS and Iran,

And O’Malley? Not much news for him as few bother to respond to his policy views. He’s dismissed by traditionalist Catholics for his liberal views on social issues.