Support for same-sex marriage declines among Republicans

Support for same-sex marriage continued to decline slightly among Republicans in the latest Gallup poll, released Monday.

According to surveyconducted last month, 46 percent of Republicans support same-sex marriage — statistically similar to the 49 percent who supported same-sex marriage in 2023. The latest results, however, mark a decline continued support among Republicans from the record 55 reported in 2021 and in 2022.

Republicans have also seen a decline in those who say “gay or lesbian relationships” are “morally acceptable” – currently at 40 percent, down slightly from 41 percent in 2023. The percentage of Republicans who share this view is markedly lower than the record 56. percent in 2022.

Among Americans overall, support for same-sex marriage remains high, with more than two-thirds (69 percent) saying it should be legal. The number of people who consider “gay or lesbian relationships” to be “morally acceptable” is equally high, with 64 percent sharing this opinion.

Democrats and Independents continue to be more aligned on the issue, with 83 percent of Democrats and 74 percent of Independents supporting gay marriage in 2024, down from 84 percent and 77 percent, respectively, in 2023.

As of 2022, 87% of Democrats and 72% of independents support same-sex marriage.

Democrats and Independents have diverged slightly since last year in their views on gay or lesbian relationships, with 81 percent of Democrats and 68 percent of Independents believing they are morally acceptable in 2024. In 2023, the two groups were closer , with 79 percent of Democrats and 73 percent of independents saying they were morally acceptable. In 2022, 85% of Democrats and 72% of independents said they were morally acceptable.

Since 2016, a year after the Supreme Court legalized same-sex marriage in Obergefell v. Hodges, support for same-sex marriage remained above 61 percent. Support has grown steadily over the past two decades. According to Gallup, the slowdown in the upward trend in support is indicative of the leveling off of Democratic and independent support and the slight decline in Republican support.

The leveling off occurs as the share of Americans who identify as LGBTQ+ continues to grow. In 2023, 7.6% of Americans identify as non-heterosexual, including 22% of Gen Z and 10% of Millennials.

In December 2022, Congress passed landmark legislation, the Respect Marriage Act, which enshrines federal protections for same-sex and interracial marriages.

The survey included 1,024 adults and was carried out from May 1 to 23. The margin of error is +/- 4 percentage points.

This story originally appeared on thehill.com read the full story