Frontlines: The Latest from OutServe-SLDN

New Polling:  DADT Not Controversial, Not Politically Risky.  Republicans on Board.

This morning a new Washington Post/ABC News poll, conducted after Admiral Mullen and Sec. of Defense Gates came out in support of open service last week, registered support for gays serving openly at 75 percent. This includes 64 percent of Republicans. Earlier this month, a FOX News/Opinion Dynamics poll has Republicans supporting open service by 44 percent. Over the last year, a rash of polls indicate, according to pollster Nate Silver, “repealing DADT is quite popular” among Republicans. In its new poll, the New York Times concludes the American public backs the “White House’s policies on a variety of disputed issues, including allowing gay men and lesbians to serve openly in the military.”

Another trend consistently found in the polling: Age matters. Eighty-one percent, according to the Post/ABC poll, of young adults say gays should be allowed to serve if they have disclosed their sexual orientation. Knowing a gay person also makes a big difference: Among those who say they have a gay friend or family member, 81 percent support allowing gay people to serve openly, compared with 66 percent who say they do not know someone who is gay.

02-12-10 By Kevin Nix, Communications Director |