A new national poll from Gallup shows that 60 percent of Americans say that President Obama’s endorsement of same-sex marriage will make no difference in how they vote. Among those who it will, twice as many Americans said they were less likely to vote for him because of it (26 percent) versus those who would be more likely (13 percent). The poll comes as President Obama became the first sitting chief executive to endorse gay marraige.
Overall, 51 percent of Americans polled approved of President Obama’s new position the policy, while 45 percent were against it.
Might have even helped. What about the breakdown?
Specifically, 23% of independents and 10% of Democrats say it makes them less likely to vote for Obama, while a smaller 11% of independents and 2% of Republicans say it makes them more likely to vote for Obama. Those figures suggest Obama’s gay marriage position is likely to cost him more independent and Democratic votes than he would gain in independent and Republican votes, clearly indicating that his new position is more of a net minus than a net plus for him. However, those figures also underscore that it is a relatively limited group of voters – about one in three independents and fewer than one in 10 Republicans or Democrats – whose votes may change as a result of Obama’s new stance on gay marriage.
And as everyone keeps saying, six months is an eternity in politics, yes? Poll the President ending the war in Iraq among the same group of voters, see how that turns out. It's not going to be the only issue in November but neither is his stance on gay marriage, either.
Even better, poll Mitt Romney's stance on a constitutional amendment to revoke same-sex marriage in the states where it's allowed now. I'm betting those numbers are worse for him than these are for the President, especially among independents.
So no, not worried about this at all, and he did the right thing. Shouldn't we be supporting him for doing so?
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