Maryland: Majority Of African-Americans Now Will Vote For Gay Marriage

In a huge switch, a new Public Policy Polling survey finds that the majority of African-Americans in Maryland will vote in favor of marriage equality. The poll, taken between May 14 and 21 — after President’s Obama’s announced support for marriage equality — finds 55% of African-Americans in favor of voting for the law and only 36% opposed.

Previously, as Washington Blade writer Michael K. Lavers notes, “PPP pollster Tom Jensen noted that support for the statute among black Marylanders has increased nearly 20 percent since March.”

Lavers adds:

The poll further noted that 57 percent of Maryland voters would support the law if the referendum makes the ballot. A previous PPP survey commissioned by Marylanders for Marriage Equality in March found that 52 percent of state voters would back the same-sex marriage law.

“Things are moving in Maryland,” said Josh Levin, campaign manager for Marylanders for Marriage Equality. “We’re approaching a supermajority who want to uphold the state’s new marriage law. The message of stronger families and basic fairness is resonating, and we’re confident Maryland will be the first state to win a ballot measure on marriage.”

The Washington Post’s Jonathan Capehart in an exclusive report today says that “African American support has pole-vaulted.” He adds:

“I think the president’s statement today is probably the most significant advancing of our cause since the bill-signing,” Maryland Gov. Martin O’Malley told me during a meeting in Baltimore, two hours after President Obama announced his public support for same-sex marriage. A poll out just this morning quantifies how significant. If the vote to uphold Maryland’s marriage-equality law were held today, it would pass with 57 percent of the vote. Even more compelling, 55 percent of African Americans said same-sex marriages should have the same rights as other marriages.

…

O’Malley told me earlier this month that he believed Maryland is “very fertile ground for becoming the first state to pass a referendum affirming religious freedom and marriage equality.” With 57 percent of respondents saying they would vote for Maryland’s “Religious Freedom and Marriage Equality Act,” he might be proved right.

If this isn’t a tipping point, I can’t imagine what else would be.