Gay Marriage

Poll: Voters Split On Obama Marriage Shift

Only one third view the president more favorably.

When President Barack Obama made his historic announcement in support of gay marriage, political pundits went into overdrive trying to determine whether it would help or hurt him come November. A new Reuters/Ipsos poll released Tuesday revealed that, so far, the move hasn’t swayed voters much one way or the other. Roughly 31 percent of those polled now have a more favorable view of Obama, and 30 percent say they have a less favorable view. Forty percent say the announcement had no impact on how they’ll vote whatsoever. In the most important category—independent voters—tended to side against the president by just a hair, 26 percent of them viewing Obama less favorably while 19 percent now view him more favorably. Fifty-four percent said the announcement had no impact on their opinion.