Oppose Gay Marriage? That’s Unacceptable To Majority Of GOP Voters In Key Primary States

In a huge turnaround, Republican presidential candidates will find a tough time in some key early primary states if they oppose same-sex marriage.

Lindsey Graham is the hometown favorite 2016 presidential candidate in South Carolina, but the U.S. Senator’s staunch opposition to same-sex marriage is “unacceptable” to a majority of likely Republican primary voters in his home state. 

Jeb Bush is currently favored in New Hampshire, but to that state’s likely Republican primary voters his position on same-sex marriage is also “unacceptable.”

A new NBC News and Marist College poll finds in both states, 52 percent of likely Republican primary voters find opposition to same-sex marriage a “deal-breaker,” as the Washington Post today reports.

In Iowa, where Mike Huckabee is the hands-down favorite currently, the numbers are slightly in his favor. 47 percent find his devout opposition to same-sex marriage “mostly” or “totally” unacceptable, but 50 percent are OK with it.

“So does it all mean we’ll see a GOP presidential candidate in 2016 come out in support of gay marriage?,” the Post asks. “Probably not.”

Democrats should not be surprised – or hopeful – about these likely Republican primary voters’ positions on other important issues. They still oppose immigration reform, Obamacare, and they still are climate change deniers.

 

Image by Gage Skidmore via Flickr