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Loading ...Poll: Majority of voters would support gay presidential candidate
08.22.2008 9:33am EDT
(Washington) A poll released Friday shows that issues – not sexuality – are more important to American voters.
A Zogby Poll found that more than six in 10 U.S. voters say they could support an openly gay candidate for president of the United States.The poll, conducted for the Gay & Lesbian Leadership Institute, asked 1,089 likely voters if they would support an openly gay president, U.S. senator, vice president or cabinet-level secretary if they believed the individual was the most qualified person for the job.
Sixty-five percent of survey participants indicated that they “strongly” or “somewhat” agree they could support the presidential candidate.
Seventy-one percent of respondents said they would support the appointment of an openly gay cabinet-level secretary.
“These results prove that most Americans want to be fair to gay people,” said Chuck Wolfe, president of the Leadership Institute.
“Our aspiration is to always see each other as individuals first, and though we may not always succeed at that, our underlying fairness and decency means that one day soon we will. This marks tremendous progress for our community and for the voting public,” Wolfe said.
The Gay & Lesbian Leadership Institute ensures that openly LGBT public leaders are equipped with the skills they need to make a difference. Its nonpartisan training and executive development programs and networking opportunities are utilized by hundreds of elected, appointed, community and non-profit leaders each year.
Earlier this year the Institute, along with a coalition of partners, launched the Presidential Appointments Project earlier this year to serve as a talent bank for openly LGBT professionals seeking appointed positions in the next presidential administration.
The Gay and Lesbian Victory Fund, which helps fund the campaigns of LGBT candidates has endorsed 67 candidates so far for November’s election.
Earlier this week, a Harris Poll found that among LGBT registered voters Democrat Barack Obama has a clear lead – with 68 percent favoring the Illinois Senator.
Ten percent of those surveyed support McCain, while three percent favor Ralph Nader and one percent supports Bob Barr. Three percent chose “other.” Fifteen percent of all LGBT voters still are not sure which candidate to support.
Not to rain on any parade, but Zogby is a notoriously unreliable pollster who constantly skews to the left. I desperately wish that his poll numbers were accurate – if that was the case, Kerry would be Prez – but it just ain’t so.
I appreciate the veracity, but doubt the sincerity. What we watch and read on this subject is entirely opposites. Whoever thought this up? Must be a slow news day. I wish I could believe this, but I don’t. Peace…..
Jesus H. Christ. Americans are such liars. They’d say anything to a pollster. Then go into that voting booth and elect the most disgusting racist, sexist, homophobe they can find.
Where was this poll held? While it’s nice to be optimistic, we have to fight for just the basic human rights. So it’s very hard to believe that 6 in 10 is an accurate number for our country.
I wish a reliable source would redo the same poll. As mentioned by others, Zogby is not a reliable pollster.
http://www.columbiaoralhealth.org
I am really , though happily, surprised
by this poll. Hopefully people in
our country are progressing in the
RIGHT direction. I was recently reading
about Berlin’s gay mayor and he is
someone to look up to as a gay
person. Maybe we’ll see more here
soon.
If This is true than why have we lost almost every anti-gay election? I think the pole was taken in a Gay bar close to closing when everyone was intoxicated and not rational. Wakeup this is the real world. No out gay candidate could get 6 out of 10 votes. Maybe 2508!Does this mean we should stop worrying about Prop 8 in California? It will loose by 60%?
John,
Who pissed in your cheerios today?
I think what most American’s fail to understand about “polling” is that pollsters including the polls held by the TV networks have known results before the poll is even taken. It all comes down to demographics, knowing the place to take the poll for the results you want. Most polls are dishonest due to this fact. Most polls are flawed as I believe John states a truth, say one thing and then do another. What American’s do not understand is that the United States is a Constitutional Republic meaning a government of the people for the people. So it comes down to a simple rule, the state of America depends on “we the people”. I do not believe this 6 in 10 in America.
i would support a gay president.
what the world needs to finally understand that regardless a person’s sexual orientation, it is a human being that we’re talking about. this awareness and consciousness needs to be raised worldwide.
Oh really? Regardless of the credibility of the pollster, the statement should be modified to read …a male presidential candidate.