Raleigh, N.C. – Same-sex marriage has been legal in Vermont for two years, and civil unions for nine years before that. The state’s voters are strongly behind full marriage equality, with 58% saying it should be legal and only a third saying it should still be illegal. Only 18% say there should be no legal recognition of a gay couple’s relationship at all. 79%, including 56% of Republicans and 82% of the independent plurality, think gay couples should have at least the legal rights associated with civil unions. And when asked what impact gay marriage has had on their lives, 60% of voters say it has had no effect whatsoever, while 22% say it has had a positive effect and 18% a negative one.
The state’s recently passed single-payer health care law is only narrowly liked, 40-35. Democrats are for it, 64-12, and independents narrowly, 38-31, but Republicans totally against, 6-74. Proving that “socialism” is a dirty word even in the bluest of states, only 20% see socialism favorably, while 46% see it unfavorably. Democrats are the only ones who see it positively, and only by a narrow 32-24 margin.
Patrick Leahy is not quite as popular as his junior colleague Bernie Sanders, but is still one of the most beloved senators in the country. 62% approve of the work he is doing in the Senate, and half that disapprove. That ties him for seventh out of the 86 sitting senators on which PPP has polled. At-large Congressman Peter Welch is also very well-liked, with a 59-29 approval rating.
Jim Jeffords, for having been a Republican and then an independent, is still liked best by Democrats in the state. His strong overall 52-22 favorability rating is bolstered by his 62-10 with Democrats. GOP voters now like him very little (27-49), and independents fall 58-18 in his favor. Howard Dean is still well-liked (52-38), but less so than these other figures, likely because his stewardship of the DNC and his presidential campaign stirred up more negative feelings with Republicans and independents, who like him by a 53-35 margin, versus 58-18 for Jeffords, 65-27 for Leahy, and 64-25 for Welch.
PPP surveyed 1,233 Vermont voters from July 28th to 31st. The margin of error for the survey is +/-2.8%. 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 approve or disapprove of Senator
Patrick Leahy’s job performance?
Approve …………………………………………………. 62%
Disapprove……………………………………………… 31%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 8%
Q2 Do you approve or disapprove of
Congressman Peter Welch’s job performance?
Approve …………………………………………………. 59%
Disapprove……………………………………………… 29%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 12%
Q3 Do you think same-sex marriage should be
legal or illegal?
Legal……………………………………………………… 58%
Illegal …………………………………………………….. 33%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 9%
Q4 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 ……………………………………………………..55%
Gay couples should be allowed to form civil
unions but not marry …………………………………24%
There should be no legal recognition of a gay
couple’s relationship …………………………………18%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 3%
Q5 Has the legalization of gay marriage in Vermont
had a positive or negative impact on your life,
or has it not had any impact at all?
Positive Impact ……………………………………….. 22%
Negative impact ………………………………………. 18%
No Impact ………………………………………………. 60%
Q6 Do you have a favorable or unfavorable opinion
of Howard Dean?
Favorable……………………………………………….. 52%
Unfavorable ……………………………………………. 38%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 10%
Q7 Do you have a favorable or unfavorable opinion
of Jim Jeffords?
Favorable……………………………………………….. 52%
Unfavorable ……………………………………………. 22%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 26%
Q8 Do you have a favorable or unfavorable opinion
of Socialism?
Favorable……………………………………………….. 20%
Unfavorable ……………………………………………. 46%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 34%
Q9 Do you support or oppose Vermont’s single
payer health care law?
Support ………………………………………………….. 40%
Oppose ………………………………………………….. 35%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 26%
Q10 Do you support or oppose the continuing
operation of the Vermont Yankee Nuclear
Power Plant?
Should operate ……………………………………….. 45%
Should not operate ………………………………….. 41%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 15%
Q11 If the candidates for State Treasurer next year
were Democrat Beth Pearce and Republican
Randy Brock, who would you vote for?
Beth Pearce……………………………………………. 31%
Randy Brock …………………………………………… 36%
Undecided………………………………………………. 33%
Q12 Would you describe yourself as very liberal,
somewhat liberal, moderate, somewhat
conservative, or very conservative?
Very liberal ……………………………………………… 15%
Somewhat liberal …………………………………….. 25%
Moderate………………………………………………… 30%
Somewhat conservative……………………………. 20%
Very conservative ……………………………………. 9%
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 ……………………………………………….. 37%
Republican……………………………………………… 24%
Independent/Other…………………………………… 40%
Q15 If you are white, press 1. If other, press 2.
White …………………………………………………….. 94%
Other……………………………………………………… 6%
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………………………………………………….. 10%
30 to 45………………………………………………….. 28%
46 to 65………………………………………………….. 42%
Older than 65………………………………………….. 20%
