Polls

MA okay with gay marriage, Sox fans with Bobby V

| Dustin Ingalls

Header-poll-results
Raleigh, N.C. –
As everywhere, public opinion is moving toward same-sex marriage in Massachusetts, which is one of only a few states where it is legal.  62% want it to be legal and only 30% illegal, up from 58-31 in March, 60-30 last September, and 59-33 last June.

Even two-thirds of those who do not like that gay marriage is offered by the state think gay couples should at least have the option of civil unions with the same legal rights.  Overall, 88% of Massachusetts voters think same-sex couples should be able to form a legal union, whatever it is called.

Most voters do not think the advent of gay marriage has had any impact on their lives.  64% said it has not affected their own day-to-day lives at all, and more (20%) say it has had a positive effect than a negative one (16%).  That is consistent with numbers when the same question was asked in the previous two polls.  Even 59% of those who think it should be illegal again say it has not curbed their lifestyle.

After a dismal start, the Boston Red Sox are starting to heat up a bit.  But there is no question fans’ hopes for the season have diminished since PPP last polled on the team’s fortunes in March.  Before Opening Day, 82% thought the Sox would make the playoffs, and 20% expected a World Series victory.  But now only 54% even think they will make it into October, with barely 7% remaining optimistic about the ultimate prize.

44% saw new manager Bobby Valentine favorably and 6% unfavorably three months ago.  Now only a third approve and a quarter disapprove of his performance.  But despite the turmoil of the season, Sox fans are giving him some rope.  Only 17% think he should be fired, with 52% giving him another shot to right the ship.  Among the 40% plurality who think the Sox will miss the playoffs, though, he has only a 23-43 approval spread.

Surprisingly, longing for Valentine’s predecessor has not increased.  In March, fired manager Terry Francona was more beloved than Valentine, with a 69-7 approval spread, and fans wishing he were the manager by a 39-28 margin over Valentine.  Now only 46% say they hope Tito returns someday, and 27% do not want him back.

PPP surveyed 902 Massachusetts voters from June 22nd to 24th. The margin of error for the survey is +/-3.3%.  This poll was not paid for or authorized by any campaign or political organization. PPP surveys are conducted through automated telephone interviews.

Topline results are below.  Full results, including crosstabs, can be found here.

Q1 Do you approve or disapprove of Governor
Deval Patrick’s job performance?
Approve …………………………………………………. 49%
Disapprove……………………………………………… 43%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 9%

Q2 Do you approve or disapprove of Senator John
Kerry’s job performance?
Approve …………………………………………………. 53%
Disapprove……………………………………………… 38%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 9%

Q3 Would you support or oppose a proposal to
legalize medical marijuana in Massachusetts?
Support ………………………………………………….. 57%
Oppose ………………………………………………….. 33%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 10%

Q4 Would you support or oppose a proposal to
legalize assisted suicide in Massachusetts?
Support ………………………………………………….. 45%
Oppose ………………………………………………….. 36%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 19%

Q5 Do you have a higher opinion of Scott Brown or
John Kerry?
Scott Brown ……………………………………………. 43%
John Kerry ……………………………………………… 47%
Like both equally……………………………………… 7%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 3%

Q6 Do you have a favorable or unfavorable opinion
of Martha Coakley?
Favorable……………………………………………….. 44%
Unfavorable ……………………………………………. 39%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 17%

Q7 Do you have a favorable or unfavorable opinion
of Steve Grossman?
Favorable……………………………………………….. 19%
Unfavorable ……………………………………………. 16%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 65%

Q8 Do you have a favorable or unfavorable opinion
of Tim Murray?
Favorable……………………………………………….. 19%
Unfavorable ……………………………………………. 33%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 48%

Q9 Do you have a favorable or unfavorable opinion
of Charlie Baker?
Favorable……………………………………………….. 22%
Unfavorable ……………………………………………. 23%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 55%

Q10 If the candidates for Governor next time were
Democrat Martha Coakley and Republican
Charlie Baker, who would you vote for?
Martha Coakley……………………………………….. 47%
Charlie Baker ………………………………………….. 34%
Undecided………………………………………………. 19%

Q11 If the candidates for Governor next time were
Democrat Steve Grossman and Republican
Charlie Baker, who would you vote for?
Steve Grossman ……………………………………… 36%
Charlie Baker ………………………………………….. 34%
Undecided………………………………………………. 30%

Q12 If the candidates for Governor next time were
Democrat Tim Murray and Republican Charlie
Baker, who would you vote for?
Tim Murray……………………………………………… 36%
Charlie Baker ………………………………………….. 37%
Undecided………………………………………………. 27%

Q13 Do you think same-sex marriage should be
legal or illegal?
Legal……………………………………………………… 62%
Illegal …………………………………………………….. 30%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 8%

Q14 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 ……………………………………………………..58%
Gay couples should be allowed to form civil
unions but not marry …………………………………30%
There should be no legal recognition of a gay
couple’s relationship …………………………………11%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 1%

Q15 Has the legalization of gay marriage in
Massachusetts had a positive or negative
impact on your life, or has it not had any impact
at all?
Positive ………………………………………………….. 20%
Negative…………………………………………………. 16%
Hasn’t made any impact at all ……………………. 64%

Q16 Do you have a favorable or unfavorable opinion
of the Kennedys?
Favorable……………………………………………….. 49%
Unfavorable ……………………………………………. 32%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 18%

Q17 Do you consider yourself to be a Boston Red
Sox fan, or not?
Are a Red Sox fan …………………………………… 78%
Are not …………………………………………………… 22%

Q18 (Q’s 18-22 asked only of Sox fans) Do you
approve or disapprove of the job Bobby
Valentine is doing as manager?
Approve …………………………………………………. 33%
Disapprove……………………………………………… 25%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 42%

Q19 Do you think Bobby Valentine should continue
to serve as manager of the Red Sox, or should
he be fired?
Valentine should continue as manager ……….. 52%
He should be fired……………………………………. 17%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 31%

Q20 Would you like to see Terry Francona return as
manager of the Red Sox someday, or not?
Would like to see Francona return ……………… 46%
Would not……………………………………………….. 27%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 27%

Q21 What do you think the outcome of the Red Sox
season will be this year: win the World Series,
win the American League but not the World
Series, make the playoffs but not win the
pennant, or miss the playoffs?
Sox will win the World Series…………………….. 7%
They’ll win the AL but not the Series …………… 8%
They’ll make the playoffs but not win the
pennant…………………………………………………..39%
They’ll miss the playoffs……………………………. 40%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 7%

Q22 Do you have a favorable or unfavorable opinion
of Roger Clemens?
Favorable……………………………………………….. 22%
Unfavorable ……………………………………………. 59%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 19%

Q23 Who did you vote for President in 2008?
John McCain…………………………………………… 34%
Barack Obama………………………………………… 58%
Someone else/Don’t remember …………………. 8%

Q24 Would you describe yourself as very liberal,
somewhat liberal, moderate, somewhat
conservative, or very conservative?
Very liberal ……………………………………………… 13%
Somewhat liberal …………………………………….. 25%
Moderate………………………………………………… 35%
Somewhat conservative……………………………. 19%
Very conservative ……………………………………. 8%

Q25 If you are a woman, press 1. If a man, press 2.
Woman ………………………………………………….. 49%
Man……………………………………………………….. 51%

Q26 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 ……………………………………………….. 39%
Republican……………………………………………… 13%
Independent/Other…………………………………… 48%

Q27 If you are white, press 1. If other, press 2.
White …………………………………………………….. 85%
Other……………………………………………………… 15%

Q28 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………………………………………………….. 9%
30 to 45………………………………………………….. 30%
46 to 65………………………………………………….. 41%
Older than 65………………………………………….. 20%

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