NH Republican Voter Issues Poll

[BrentRichards]

News Release

For Immediate Release

June 13, 2007



New Poll Confirms “Gay Marriage” Not an Issue to New Hampshire Republicans in 2008



Among GOP Primary Voters, 16 Other Issues Trump “Gay Marriage”



(Washington, DC) – According to a new CNN poll of likely Republican primary voters released Tuesday, “gay marriage” barely registers as an important issue. “This poll of Republican voters confirms what many of us in the GOP already knew—the GOP primary election should focus on the issues rank-and-file Republicans care about and same-sex marriage isn’t one of them,” said Log Cabin Republicans President Patrick Sammon. “Republican candidates should focus on issues that unite our Party, instead of using marriage as a wedge issue in this campaign.”



The poll asked likely Republican primary voters in New Hampshire, “In your opinion, which one issue is MOST IMPORTANT to YOUR VOTE in the presidential primary? Which is next most important? What is the third most important?” Results are as follows:



1st 2nd 3rd
War in Iraq 36% 18% 9%

Illegal Immigration 11% 18% 10%

Economy 9% 13% 12%

Health care 8% 13% 12%

Homeland security 7% 6% 4%

Abortion 6% 1% 4%

Foreign policy 3% 2% 6%

Terrorism 3% 3% *

Education 2% 3% 7%

Taxes 2% 6% 7%

Gun control 2% 1% 1%

Budget deficit 1% 3% 4%

Morality 1% 0% 3%

Medicare/prescription drugs 1% 1% 1%

Social Security 1% 1% 3%

Electing a Republican 1% 1% 0%

Gay marriage 0% 1% 2%

Employment/jobs 0% * 1%

Other 6% 9% 9%

No Opinion 3% 1% 7%



“This poll sends a loud and clear message to Republican candidates,” said Sammon. “Our Party is hungry for leadership on the big issues of the day such as the war in Iraq, reforming immigration, homeland security, and keeping our economy strong. If we are going to keep the White House in 2008, we must focus on these issues instead of getting bogged down by the politics of division.”



“New Hampshire primary voters have long distinguished themselves as astute voters who understand the nation’s priorities,” said Sammon. “GOP Party leaders and all candidates for elected office should listen to these voters in the first-of-the-nation primary. 2008 will be a critical election that demands attention on important issues—not divisive politics.”


The poll was conducted by the University of New Hampshire Survey Center for CNN and WMUR in New Hampshire. Read the entire poll here: http://www.logcabin.org/ct/S1xjr1d1jjju/

[pnggrad79]

I am sure it wouldn't be a huge issue to Republicans, unless they are GAY and want to get married, would like to someday, or have already had some kind of committment ceremony, or gotten married in Canada. This issue is very important to those of us who stand to lose a lot by being in a committed relationship with someone of our own gender. I am sure it wasn't important to white Republicans that black children got equal education as white children. It wasn't important to them, because they weren't black.

It appalled me in November 2005, when members of my own gay church here in Houston, just didn't see the need to oppose the ban on marriage for gays and lesbians. Their reasoning? They weren't married, or even in a committed relationship. It wasn't important to them to get out and vote for something that MIGHT be important a few years from then.

So the way I see it, if getting married isn't important to even some gays and lesbians, consider this:

1. What if you fall in love and want to spend the rest of your life with that person? Is it going to be important then? When you want your relationship to hold as much value as your parent's relationship?

2. What if you decide to bring children into this relationship? Mary Cheney and Heather Poe now have a child. Heather is not legally considered that child's parent. Even though, she has probably fed the little one more times than she cares to count and has gotten up at 3 AM to change him. But if something were to happen, Heather would not be able to assert her parental role, because legally, she is seen as a bystander. Is it important now?

3. What if your beloved is ill and not mentally capable of making decisions? What if you have poured your life into another person, and when it comes down to how they spend their final moments, you have no say in what happens? Is it important now?


Everything that straight, white Republicans have, we as gays and lesbians should have, period! It is embarrassing for US citizens to have to go to Canada to get married. The US should turn red with the admission that Canada affords US citizens the right to marry, but the US doesn't. Who we sleep with is no one's business, least of all George W. Bush's. It is not a matter of whether it sets well with straight America. It is a matter of the Constitution. It is a matter of "liberty and justice for ALL".

You don't miss what you don't have. But you sure as hell miss what you don't have when all your neighbors have it and you don't because of who you sleep with at night. It is preposterous and I hope the gays and lesbians of NH fight tooth and nail for this issue to be of importance in the upcoming elections.