Californians accept gays, views split on gay marriage

By: TOM CHORNEAU - Associated Press | Friday, February 20, 2004 9:07 PM PST ∞

SACRAMENTO -- Although 62 percent of Californians accept gays as part of the fabric of society, half of likely voters in the state say the government should not allow same-sex marriages, according to a poll released Friday by the Public Policy Institute of California.

Support for gay marriage among all Californians has risen 6 percentage points since January 2000. Today, the poll found 43 percent of likely voters support same-sex marriage, while 51 percent are opposed and 6 percent are undecided.

The issue has taken on national political consequence during the last week, since the city of San Francisco began issuing same-sex marriage licenses in apparent violation of state law.

Some prominent Democrats facing election this fall -- such as Democratic Sen. Barbara Boxer -- are finding it difficult to straddle the question as Republicans seize the gay marriage issue as a new soft target for attack.

Sen. Dianne Feinstein, said Friday that she is concerned that San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom has decided to test the state law that specifically excludes same-sex marriage. That law, approved by voters in 2000 as Proposition 22, says the state will only recognize marriages between a man and a woman as valid.

"The people of California voted on Proposition 22 and by an overwhelming majority passed a law which defines marriage as between a man and a woman. If the mayor believes that law is unconstitutional the place to go is the court," said Feinstein, a Democrat and former San Francisco mayor. "I believe this makes the national situation much more complicated and gives ammunition to those who are pushing for a constitutional amendment."

Boxer, who is running for up for re-election this year and one of the state's leading liberals, has been a longtime supporter of gay rights. Still, she has refused so far to speak out since the gay weddings began and has only issued a statement through her spokesman saying that California law "is fair and appropriate because it gives equal rights to all citizens."

But the new poll found the partisan gap on gay marriage has grown from 26 percentage point difference between Democrats and Republicans four years ago to 34 percentage point difference today.

The poll found that Democrats support gay marriage by a 57 percent to 37 percent margin; Republicans split 23 percent in favor and 73 percent opposed.

There are also regional differences. Not surprisingly, the Bay Area ranks as the part of the state where homosexuality has greatest acceptance -- 73 percent. It was the only part of the state that favors same sex marriage with 58 percent in support, according to the poll authors.

Sixty-four percent of the voters in Los Angeles said homosexuality as way of life should be accepted; while 52 percent in the Central Valley shared that opinion.

Among religious groups, Roman Catholics are most accepting, 64 percent; while Protestants are split on the question, 46 percent for acceptance and 47 percent say it should be discouraged.

The poll was conducted during the eight-day period ending Feb. 16 -- and only includes a few days of interviews when same-sex marriages were being conducted in San Francisco. The poll of 1,013 likely voters, has a margin of sampling error of plus or minus 3 percentage points.

The same poll found Boxer with a 52 percent approval rating among likely voters and a big lead over any of the likely GOP challengers she might face in the fall -- 53 percent to 36 percent.

On the Net:

http://www.ppic.org/main/home.asp

Public Policy Institute of California