KENTUCKY: Poll Shows Opposition To Gay Marriage Has Dropped by 20 Points

A poll issued in Kentucky this week reveals that opposition to same-sex marriage has dropped by 20 points in the ten years since that state approved its constitutional ban. Here's how they try to spin the numbers at the anti-gay Lifesite News:

A Bluegrass Poll, released yesterday, found that Kentucky residents support traditional marriage by 13 percentage points, 50-37. "If this were an election, it would be considered a landslide," said Martin Cothran, a spokesman for The Family Foundation of Kentucky, which promotes pro-family policies. The poll found that gay “marriage” is opposed by both men and women, whites and blacks, every level of education and income, and every age group outside those 18-34. Only a plurality of Democrats, self-described “moderates,” young people aged 18-34, and residents of Louisville supported same-sex “marriage,” most by surprisingly close margins. The only group to crack 50 percent approval of marriage redefinition was self-described “liberals” (67 percent to 21 percent). On the other hand, redefining marriage is opposed by majorities of blacks, those who live in the eastern and western parts of the state, registered Republicans, self-described conservatives, and people over 50. Those under the age of 50 are tied at 43 percent apiece.

But here's how the local media reports on the same poll:

Opposition to gay marriage in Kentucky has hit its lowest level since 2004 when voters approved a constitutional amendment defining marriage as only between a man and a woman, according to a new Bluegrass Poll. The poll - conducted for WKYT-TV, the Lexington Herald-Leader, the Louisville Courier-Journal, and WHAS-TV - found 50 percent of Kentuckians today are opposed to allowing gays and lesbians to marry. The results mark a dramatic shift from 2004 when a Bluegrass Poll found 70 percent were opposed to gay marriage. The new Bluegrass Poll results are an even further shift from February when opposition stood at 55 percent. "Over time, there is clear movement on this issue," said WKYT political editor Bill Bryant. "This poll shows some public movement there." The poll found support for gay marriage now stands at 37 percent and the remaining 12 percent unsure. While gay marriage opposition decreased five percentage points since February, those formerly in the opposition camp appeared to equally move into the support and not sure categories in the latest Bluegrass Poll. Both increased by two percentage points compared to February.

Kentucky's ban on same-sex marriage was struck down one month ago today. Cothran: "This issue is now in the hands of unelected federal judges who have taken the issue out of the hands of voters. As with issues like abortion, our views no longer matter."