Raleigh, N.C. – Same-sex marriage has been legal in Connecticut for almost three years, and 70% of the state’s voters think life has gone on just as before. Only 18% say it has had a negative impact on their lives. Indeed, 55% think it should remain legal, and only 32% want it to be illegal again. And only half that think gay couples deserve no legal recognition whatsoever. With civil unions, which were legalized in 2005, on the menu of options, 81% believe gay couples deserve the same legal rights as straight couples—47% for full marriage equality and another 34% for civil unions. While only 32% of Republicans favor full marriage rights, 79% are in favor of at least civil unions, joined by 78% of independents (up from 56% in favor of marriage in the two-way question) and 85% of Democrats (70%). There is still a huge generational gap here, but unlike in other states, even those over 65 support legal gay marriage.
The University of Connecticut is rumored to be considering a conference move after Syracuse and Pittsburgh bolted the once 16-strong Big East for the ACC. But 41% of Nutmeg State voters want UConn to stay right where it is, with the same amount not sure, and only 19% wanting the Huskies to join the Orange and Panthers. Men (26%) are more than twice as likely as women (12%) to want UConn’s old rivalries to continue into the Southern-based ACC.
Parts of Connecticut are suburbs of New York City, and other parts more culturally New England. When it comes to baseball loyalties, the divide is pretty even, with the Boston Red Sox claiming a narrow lead of 37% of the state’s fans over the New York Yankees’ 34%. Only 6% root for the New York Mets.
The state is much more clearly New England in football fandom. The Patriots are beloved by 38%, followed by the New York Giants’ 23% and the New York Jets’ 6%, not much higher than the Pittsburgh Steelers’ and Dallas Cowboys’ 5%.
PPP surveyed 592 Connecticut voters from September 22nd to 25th. The margin of error for the survey is +/-4.0%. This poll was not paid for or authorized by any campaign or political organization. PPP surveys are conducted through automated telephone interviews. PPP is a Democratic polling company, but polling expert Nate Silver of the New York Times found that its surveys in 2010 actually exhibited a slight bias toward Republican candidates.
Topline results are below. Full results, including crosstabs, can be found here.
Q1 Do you think same-sex marriage should be
legal or illegal?
Legal……………………………………………………… 55%
Illegal …………………………………………………….. 32%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 13%
Q2 Which of the following best describes your
opinion on gay marriage: gay couples should
be allowed to legally marry, or gay couples
should be allowed to form civil unions but not
legally marry, or there should be no legal
recognition of a gay couple’s relationship?
Gay couples should be allowed to legally
marry ……………………………………………………..47%
Gay couples should be allowed to form civil
unions but not marry …………………………………34%
There should be no recognition of a gay
couple’s relationship …………………………………16%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 3%
Q3 Has the legalization of gay marriage in
Connecticut had a positive or negative impact
on your life, or has it not had any impact at all?
Positive impact………………………………………… 13%
Negative impact ………………………………………. 18%
No impact at all ……………………………………….. 70%
Q4 Would you rather that UConn stayed in the Big
East or moved to the ACC?
Would like UConn to stay in the Big East…….. 41%
Would like them to move to the ACC ………….. 19%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 41%
Q5 Is your favorite Major League Baseball team
the Atlanta Braves, Boston Red Sox, Chicago
Cubs, New York Mets, New York Yankees, or
Philadelphia Phillies?
Braves …………………………………………………… 2%
Red Sox…………………………………………………. 37%
Cubs ……………………………………………………… 3%
Mets………………………………………………………. 6%
Yankees …………………………………………………. 34%
Phillies …………………………………………………… 1%
Someone else/Not a baseball fan ………………. 16%
Q6 Is your favorite NFL team the Dallas Cowboys,
New England Patriots, New York Giants, New
York Jets, Pittsburgh Steelers, or Philadelphia
Eagles?
Cowboys………………………………………………… 5%
Patriots ………………………………………………….. 38%
Giants ……………………………………………………. 23%
Jets ……………………………………………………….. 6%
Steelers………………………………………………….. 5%
Eagles……………………………………………………. 3%
Someone else/Not a football fan………………… 20%
Q7 Would you describe yourself as very liberal,
somewhat liberal, moderate, somewhat
conservative, or very conservative?
Very liberal ……………………………………………… 10%
Somewhat liberal …………………………………….. 26%
Moderate………………………………………………… 29%
Somewhat conservative……………………………. 24%
Very conservative ……………………………………. 11%
Q8 If you are a woman, press 1. If a man, press 2.
Woman ………………………………………………….. 52%
Man……………………………………………………….. 48%
Q9 If you are a Democrat, press 1. If a Republican,
press 2. If you are an independent or identify
with another party, press 3.
Democrat ……………………………………………….. 45%
Republican……………………………………………… 31%
Independent/Other…………………………………… 24%
Q10 If you are white, press 1. If other, press 2.
White …………………………………………………….. 80%
Other……………………………………………………… 20%
Q11 If you are 18 to 29 years old, press 1. If 30 to
45, press 2. If 46 to 65, press 3. If you are
older than 65, press 4.
18 to 29………………………………………………….. 12%
30 to 45………………………………………………….. 24%
46 to 65………………………………………………….. 44%
Older than 65………………………………………….. 20%
