Raleigh, N.C. – After successfully campaigning to get three of them ousted from office by election last fall, Republicans in Iowa are now campaigning to get the remaining four justices who voted to legalize gay marriage in the state booted by impeachment. But a majority of Iowans think that move inappropriate, despite the fact that a majority also do not favor same-sex marriage itself.
52% think same-sex marriage should not be legal, as it is now in the Hawkeye State, with 41% supporting the new status quo. It is mainly Republicans driving the animosity. 82% of them think same-sex marriage should be illegal, but two-thirds of Democrats are on the legal side, with independents splitting just 46-44 toward it being illegal.
On the impeachment issue, however, Republicans are not as gung-ho as some of their state legislators are. Still twice (60%) as many of them favor impeachment as oppose it, but that is far below the 82-10 margin of Republicans who oppose same-sex marriage itself. Overall, 55% of Iowa voters oppose impeachment, and only 38% support it. At 54-38 against, independents mirror the overall electorate, while Democrats’ 79-16 margin against impeachment approaches Republicans’ fervor against equal marriage rights.
“This is one of those classic issues where voters agree with Republicans but don’t want the party to overplay its hand,” said Dean Debnam, President of Public Policy Polling. “They’re on the same page with wanting same sex marriage to be illegal, but they think it’s going too far to impeach the judges who made the ruling to legalize it.”
Despite defeating Chet Culver and returning to office by a 53-43 margin in November, Terry Branstad is no more popular than his predecessor. Iowans disapprove of Culver’s four-year record, 41-46, but they are also down on Branstad, 40-44. The two post almost identical numbers with independents, and are equally polarizing across party lines.
Chuck Grassley is now the sixth most popular of 74 senators whose job performance ratings have been gauged by PPP in the last year, with a 54-31 approval mark. Junior colleague Tom Harkin is far below Grassley, but still quite healthy, at a 48-38 grade.
PPP surveyed 1,077 Iowa voters from January 7th to 9th. The survey’s margin of error is +/-3.0%. Other factors, such as refusal to be interviewed and weighting, may introduce additional error that is more difficult to quantify.
Topline results are below. Full results, including crosstabs, can be found here.
Q1 Do you approve or disapprove of the work Chet
Culver did during his four years as Governor?
Approve …………………………………………………. 41%
Disapprove……………………………………………… 46%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 13%
Q2 Do you have a favorable or unfavorable opinion
of Terry Branstad?
Favorable……………………………………………….. 40%
Unfavorable ……………………………………………. 44%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 16%
Q3 Do you approve or disapprove of Senator
Charles Grassley’s job performance?
Approve …………………………………………………. 54%
Disapprove……………………………………………… 31%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 15%
Q4 Do you approve or disapprove of Senator Tom
Harkin’s job performance?
Approve …………………………………………………. 48%
Disapprove……………………………………………… 38%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 14%
Q5 Do you think the justices who wrote the ruling
legalizing same-sex marriage should be
impeached or not?
Should be impeached ………………………………. 38%
Should not be impeached …………………………. 55%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 7%
Q6 Do you think same sex marriage should be
legal or not?
Should be legal ……………………………………….. 41%
Should not be legal ………………………………….. 52%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 8%
Q7 Would you describe yourself as a liberal,
moderate, or conservative?
Liberal ……………………………………………………. 18%
Moderate………………………………………………… 47%
Conservative…………………………………………… 35%
Q8 If you are a woman, press 1. If a man, press 2.
Woman ………………………………………………….. 54%
Man……………………………………………………….. 46%
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 ……………………………………………….. 37%
Republican……………………………………………… 37%
Independent/Other…………………………………… 25%
Q10 If you are white, press 1. If other, press 2.
White …………………………………………………….. 94%
Other……………………………………………………… 6%
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………………………………………………….. 10%
30 to 45………………………………………………….. 28%
46 to 65………………………………………………….. 44%
Older than 65………………………………………….. 18%
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