According to the Washington Times, a new Field poll shows a majority of Californians
supporting gay marriage for the first time in any public poll, by a
margin 51 percent to 42 percent. Fifty-four percent oppose the idea
of a constitutional amendment reversing the state supreme court
ruling on the issue, a number that drops to 51 percent when
respondents are they are told they will get to vote on the
amendment. This is consistent with what happened in Massachusetts,
where a defense-of-marriage amendment surely would have passed
before Goodridge but gay marriage actually gained in popular support afterward.
Yet that's not the final word on the matter. A Los Angeles
Times poll last week found that 54 percent of Californians
supported the defense-of-marriage amendment and only 35 percent
opposed it. Social conservative groups say this result is closest
to their own internal polling.
topics:
Constitution, Supreme Court
