Support for the legal recognition of
gay and lesbian unions is increasing in Texas.
According to a University of
Texas/Texas Tribune Poll released on Wednesday, most Texans
believe the economy (31%) is the most important problem facing the
United States. For 17 percent of respondents, federal spending tops
the list, while 14 percent say it's unemployment. Texas' most
important problem is immigration, 14 percent of respondents said,
followed closely behind by border security (13%).
On gay union recognition, a large
majority (69%) of respondents said either marriage (36%) or civil
unions (33%) should be legalized for gay couples. Twenty-five
percent said the relationships of gay couples should not be
recognized with either marriage or civil unions. Seven percent
refused to answer.
Daron Shaw, co-director of the poll and
a political science professor at the University of Texas at Austin,
said Texans have a nuanced opinion on the issue.
“Collectively, they jump out in the
sense that they continue to demonstrate the pragmatism of the Texas
electorate,” he said. “We get into this red-state, blue-state
mindset, particularly as the election nears. But we continue to find
in the polling in Texas that on issues like gay marriage, voter ID,
that if you give people the opportunity to take, instead of a
black-and-white option, more of a gray option, a good subset of
Texans will take that.”
(Source: The
Texas Tribune.)