House Republican leaders are mounting their own legal defense of the Defense of Marriage Act following President Obama’s decision to drop support for portions of the bill, slamming the White House for abandoning legislation that passed with overwhelming support under President Clinton. But according to one poll commissioned by a gay rights group, the Human Rights Campaign, the White House is on the right side of public opinion today.
According to the poll, which was conducted by Democratic firm Greenberg Quinlan Rosner Research, Americans oppose DOMA 51%-34%, including a similar 52%-34% split among independents. A similar proportion disagree with the Republican decision to defend the law, 54% to 32%.
DOMA prevents the federal government from recognizing gay marriage in states where it is legal, a provision of the law the Department of Justice says is unconstitutional.
