Support for gay marriage in Rhode
Island is at an all-time high.
According to a Public Policy Polling
survey of 614 Rhode Island voters released on Thursday, 57 percent of
respondents support marriage equality, while 36 percent remain
opposed. That's a 7 point increase in support and a five point
decrease in opposition since the pollster last asked the question in
2011.
The survey comes a week after the Rhode
Island House easily approved a marriage bill and sent it to the
Senate.
(Related: Rhode
Island House overwhelmingly passes gay marriage bill.)
“If public opinion has anything to do
with it, Rhode Island will legalize gay marriage this year,” said
Dean Debman, president of Public Policy Polling. “Voters in
the state strongly favor it and support is increasing by the year.”
A large majority (85%) of respondents
support either marriage (54%) or civil unions (31%) for gay couples.
Only 13 percent say there should be no legal recognition of a gay
couple's relationship.
Even among Republicans, who tend to be
less supportive of gay rights, 75 percent at least support civil
unions.