The Gay Debate
by Ryan Sager
Wed, 8 Aug 2007 at 11:35 AM
updated Wed, 8 Aug 2007 at 11:45 AM
You may have missed — they probably want you to — that the Democratic candidates will be heading out to Los Angeles tomorrow night (Thursday, August 9) to participate in the first-ever presidential debate devoted solely to "gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender issues." It is sponsored by the Human Rights Campaign and the gay-themed LOGO cable network. It's from 9-11 p.m. How you can tune in is explained here.
Peter Brown of the Quinnipiac poll argues here that support from gay interest groups is more likely to hurt candidates than help them in the three big swing states (FL, OH, and PA). However, he's wrong to cite the 11 state gay-marriage initiatives from 2004 — there's simply no evidence they helped reelect George W. Bush, no matter what the Christian Right wants the GOP to believe.
While Mr. Brown's polling data does show that voters are more likely to be turned off by gay support for a candidate than encouraged by it, I doubt it will have much effect at the ballot box. Voters will respond one way when they've just been asked a question like this in the course of a poll. But will they really be thinking about it next November? Seems doubtful.
Related Topics: Dem Primary
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