Texas Supports Gay/Lesbian Unions

State government has been run by right-wing Republicans for years here in Texas. The general consensus among most people is that Texas is a bastion of conservative thought and values. But is that really true? A new poll by Texas Lyceum shows Texas may be more liberal than normally thought to be -- especially on the topic of homosexual unions or marriages.

I have to admit that this poll surprises me. I thought a majority of Texans probably opposed gay and/or lesbian civil unions or marriages. I'm happy to be wrong though. According to the Texas Lyceum poll conducted this month, about 57% of Texans support either civil unions or marriage for homosexuals (32% support civil unions and 25% support marriage). Only 36% of Texans are opposed to both.

Even more surprising is the fact that this support crosses party lines. While 65% of Democrats and 56% of Independents supported either civil unions or marriage, a majority of Republicans (51%) also supported one or the other. Here are the numbers when broken down by party:

DEMOCRATS
Civil Unions...............29%
Marriage...............36%
Neither...............29%

REPUBLICANS
Civil Unions...............37%
Marriage...............14%
Neither...............43%

INDEPENDENTS
Civil Unions...............31%
Marriage...............25%
Neither...............35%

Could Texas actually be ready to enter the 21st century with everyone else?