Same Sex Marriage: Statistical Revelation

Barney Frank's Marriage

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Alan: In the following Washington Post article, conservative columnist Jennifer Rubin notes the decisive plurality of Hispanic citizens who approve same sex marriage. Overwhelmingly Catholic (or evangelical), Hispanics exhibit the largest plurality of those constituencies that comprise "the Democratic coalition."

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The poll finds that a plurality of Americans supports same sex marriage, 47-43. But dig into the internals and you find that the groups that increasingly make up the main pillars of the Democratic coalition support it in much larger numbers. Hispanics: 63-32. Young voters: 62-30. College educated whites: 59-32. White women: 50-40. 

In other words, gay rights, like immigration reform, is increasingly popular among groups that Republicans must attract to win national elections. It is, I would suggest, a gateway issue that candidates must pass through to get a real audience with voters who have come to view Republicans with suspicion.

In the Quinnipiac poll Greg cites, Republicans oppose gay marriage by a margin of 69-23 percent. That however, may not account for another phenomenon: the generational shift within the GOP.

Among Republicans under age 30, 51 percent support the legalization of same-sex marriage in their state;

All major non-evangelical religious groups (white non-evangelical protestants, white Catholics, Hispanic Catholics, African American non-evangelical, Jewish) are ready to legalize marriage for same-sex couples...

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/right-turn/wp/2013/03/08/gop-and-gay-marriage-the-times-have-changed/