Raleigh, N.C. – Nebraska is more supportive of gay rights than one might expect. While only 36% support same-sex marriage, and 54% oppose it, when civil unions are included as an option, 64% favor legal equality for gay couples, with 30% still preferring full marriage rights and 34% civil unions. The numbers on both questions are similar to those PPP found recently in a much more Democratic swing state, Florida, and better than those in another middle-American state that is also more Democratic, Texas. 79% of Democrats, 74% of independents, and even 52% of the majority Republicans want gay couples to have some sort of legal recognition.
Nebraskans are overwhelmingly glad their flagship university switched from its traditional Big 12 conference to the Big 10 this season. 65% are happy with the move, and only 12% wish they had stayed put.
Current Nebraska football coach Bo Pelini has the popularity any politician would envy, but his predecessor Tom Osborne, who actually did serve in Congress, is even more beloved. 70% see Pelini favorably, and only 14% unfavorably. Osborne’s spread is almost unanimous: 86-6. Needless to say, football trumps partisanship in the Cornhusker State. Even Democrats laud Osborne, 82-9, the same for independents, along with Republicans’ 90-4.
Not having professional teams in-state, a plurality of Nebraskans do not follow any particular football (27%) or baseball (28%) team. In the latter sport, 20% are fans of the Chicago Cubs, 17% of the Kansas City Royals, 7% of each the New York Yankees, Boston Red Sox, and Colorado Rockies, 5% of each the St. Louis Cardinals and Atlanta Braves, and 4% of the Minnesota Twins. When it comes to the NFL, it is closer: 17% root for the Green Bay Packers, 13% for the Kansas City Chiefs, 12% for the Denver Broncos, 11% for the Chicago Bears, 7% for the Dallas Cowboys, 6% for the Pittsburgh Steelers, 5% for the Minnesota Vikings, and 2% for the St. Louis Rams.
PPP surveyed 739 Nebraska voters from September 30th to October 2nd. The margin of error for the survey is +/-3.6%. 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 support or oppose the health care bill
that was signed into law last year?
Support ………………………………………………….. 29%
Oppose ………………………………………………….. 60%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 11%
Q2 Do you think same-sex marriage should be
legal or illegal?
Legal……………………………………………………… 36%
Illegal …………………………………………………….. 54%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 10%
Q3 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 ……………………………………………………..30%
Gay couples should be allowed to form civil
unions but not marry …………………………………34%
There should be no recognition of a gay
couple’s relationship …………………………………34%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 2%
Q4 Do you have a favorable or unfavorable opinion
of the Tea Party?
Favorable……………………………………………….. 43%
Unfavorable ……………………………………………. 42%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 15%
Q5 Are you glad that Nebraska moved to the Big
10, or do you wish it had remained in the Big
12?
Glad it moved to the Big 10……………………….. 65%
Wish it had moved to the Big 12 ………………… 12%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 22%
Q6 Do you have a favorable or unfavorable opinion
of Bo Pelini?
Favorable……………………………………………….. 70%
Unfavorable ……………………………………………. 14%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 16%
Q7 Do you have a favorable or unfavorable opinion
of Tom Osborne?
Favorable……………………………………………….. 86%
Unfavorable ……………………………………………. 6%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 8%
Q8 Are you glad that the College World Series
moved to a new ballpark in downtown Omaha,
or do you wish it had remained at Rosenblatt
Stadium?
Glad it moved downtown…………………………… 35%
Wish it had stayed at Rosenblatt Stadium …… 35%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 30%
Q9 Is your favorite Major League Baseball team
the Atlanta Braves, Boston Red Sox, Chicago
Cubs, Colorado Rockies, Kansas City Royals,
Minnesota Twins, New York Yankees, or St.
Louis Cardinals?
Braves …………………………………………………… 5%
Red Sox…………………………………………………. 7%
Cubs ……………………………………………………… 20%
Rockies………………………………………………….. 7%
Royals……………………………………………………. 17%
Twins……………………………………………………… 4%
Yankees …………………………………………………. 7%
Cardinals………………………………………………… 5%
Someone else/Not a baseball fan ………………. 28%
Q10 Is your favorite NFL team the Chicago Bears,
Dallas Cowboys, Denver Broncos, Green Bay
Packers, Kansas City Chiefs, Minnesota
Vikings, Pittsburgh Steelers, or St. Louis
Rams?
Bears …………………………………………………….. 11%
Cowboys………………………………………………… 7%
Broncos………………………………………………….. 12%
Packers………………………………………………….. 17%
Chiefs ……………………………………………………. 13%
Vikings …………………………………………………… 5%
Steelers………………………………………………….. 6%
Rams …………………………………………………….. 2%
Someone else/Not a football fan………………… 27%
Q11 Who did you vote for President in 2008?
John McCain…………………………………………… 53%
Barack Obama………………………………………… 38%
Someone else/Don’t remember …………………. 8%
Q12 Would you describe yourself as very liberal,
somewhat liberal, moderate, somewhat
conservative, or very conservative?
Very liberal ……………………………………………… 11%
Somewhat liberal …………………………………….. 15%
Moderate………………………………………………… 27%
Somewhat conservative……………………………. 23%
Very conservative ……………………………………. 24%
Q13 If you are a woman, press 1. If a man, press 2.
Woman ………………………………………………….. 52%
Man……………………………………………………….. 48%
Q14 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 ……………………………………………….. 32%
Republican……………………………………………… 51%
Independent/Other…………………………………… 17%
Q15 If you are white, press 1. If other, press 2.
White …………………………………………………….. 93%
Other……………………………………………………… 7%
Q16 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………………………………………………….. 8%
30 to 45………………………………………………….. 27%
46 to 65………………………………………………….. 45%
Older than 65………………………………………….. 20%
Q17 New Congressional District
1st…………………………………………………………. 41%
2nd………………………………………………………… 30%
3rd ………………………………………………………… 29%
Q18 Old Congressional District
1st…………………………………………………………. 40%
2nd………………………………………………………… 32%
3rd ………………………………………………………… 27%
