A Majority of Voters Support Federal Protection of Same-Sex Marriage

By Bella Kumar

In a concurring opinion on the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade, Justice Clarence Thomas argued that the Supreme Court “should reconsider” its past rulings upholding rights to contraception access, same-sex relationships, and same-sex marriage.

The House of Representatives recently passed a bill that would protect the right of same-sex couples to marry under federal law. New Data for Progress polling reveals that a majority of voters support the passage of this bill by a +29-point margin, including Democrats by a +62-point margin and Independents by a +42-point margin. Republicans, however, oppose its passage by a -13-point margin. Additionally, voters under the age of 45 support the bill by 14 more points than voters under 45, by a +38-point margin and a +24-point margin respectively.

Following the bill’s passage in the House, a majority of the Senate must also vote in support of the bill so that it can be signed by the President into law. Sixty-two percent of voters believe it is important that the Senate votes in support of this bill, including 82 percent of Democrats, 65 percent of Independents, and 39 percent of Republicans. Forty-five percent of Republicans report that it is “not at all important.”

Same-sex marriage could be under attack by the Supreme Court. The Senate must act now to protect marriage equality.

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Bella Kumar (@bellakkumar) is a communications intern at Data for Progress.