A new poll from Data for Progress finds that only 1% of respondents said LGBTQ+ issues are their top voting priority, but 51 percent of likely voters are more likely to support a candidate who vocally backs LGBTQ+ rights. This is compared with 32 percent who prefer a candidate who opposes them. Support was strongest among Democrats and independents, while most Republicans favored candidates opposing LGBTQ+ rights.
The poll also found that voters who personally know someone who is transgender were significantly more likely to support pro-LGBTQ+ candidates. The survey further shared that the majority support several LGBTQ+-focused policies. Sixty-three percent backed anti-bullying protections for LGBTQ+ students, 62 percent supported expanded mental health services, and 61% favored restoring specialized LGBTQ+ youth crisis services through the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline.
Majorities also supported benefits for LGBTQ+ veterans, protections for LGBTQ+ adoptive and foster parents, and housing assistance for homeless LGBTQ+ youth. The results suggest that while LGBTQ+ issues may not drive voting decisions, most voters still favor candidates who openly support LGBTQ+ rights.
