4 things to know about the Respect for Marriage Act
4. The bill has support among the American public
Polling in recent years has shown a majority of Americans support the protection of same-sex marriage.
A Politico and Morning Consult poll of over 2,000 registered voters released in July suggests that 58% believe a federal law is necessary to protect marriage for same-sex couples, with 75% of Democrats, 62% of Independents and 36% of Republicans agreeing with that statement.
A Gallup poll conducted earlier this year measured support for same-sex marriage at a record high of 71%.
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However, the bill has a plurality of opposition in at least five of the states with Republican senators voting to invoke cloture on the Respect for Marriage Act.
The Heritage Foundation, a conservative think tank based in Washington, D.C., released the results of a poll conducted by OnMessage, Inc on its behalf. The poll measures public opinion in five states where at least one Republican U.S. Senator voted to invoke cloture on the Respect for Marriage Act.
The poll surveyed 2,000 likely voters in Indiana, Iowa, Utah, West Virginia and Wyoming. Sens. Todd Young, R-Ind., Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, Mitt Romney, R-Utah, Shelley Moore Capito, R-W.Va., and Cynthia Lummis, R-Wyo., were among the 12 Republican senators who voted to advance the Respect for Marriage Act. All five states supported Republican Donald Trump in the 2020 U.S. presidential election. Except for Iowa, all voted for Trump by double digits.
According to the survey, released Nov. 12, 47% of likely voters residing in the five states opposed the Respect for Marriage Act, while 41% supported it. Among Republicans in those states, opposition to the measure rose to 70% while support dropped to 20%. Similarly, 73% of self-described conservatives opposed the bill, while 17% supported it.
While all five states surveyed are more conservative than the national average, a poll by the Public Religion Research Institute in 2021 reveals that most residents in each state support same-sex marriage.
Support for same-sex marriage registered at 72% in Iowa, with 65% of Indianans in favor of allowing same-sex couples to marry. Same-sex marriage also achieved majority support in Utah (56%), West Virginia (56%) and Wyoming (58%).
The Public Religion Research Institute also examined support for same-sex marriage on a national scale, finding that 68% of Americans supported it.
Ryan Foley is a reporter for The Christian Post. He can be reached at: ryan.foley@christianpost.com
