Majority of LGBT voters want Hillary Clinton as next president
US presidential candidate Hillary Clinton is ahead with LGBT voters, according to a recent poll.
Community Marketing & Insights asked 563 LGBT registered voters from 46 states which of the Democratic party presidential candidates would be “the most supportive of LGBT civil rights.”
Although 31% said they thought Bernie Sanders would be more supportive of LGBT rights – Clinton came in at 25%, with 37% indicating that the two candidates are equally supportive – more LGBT voters said they think the former Secretary of State would make a better leader overall.
Asked who they would vote for if the election was held today, Hillary Clinton received 48% of the vote and Bernie Sanders 41%. Republican hopeful Donald Trump came in third with 2%.
Unsurprisingly, when asked which of the Republican presidential candidates would be ‘the most supportive of LGBT civil rights,’ 73% indicated that none of them would be.
6% selected John Kasich; 4% Donald Trump and the remaining candidates received just 2% or less.
“What is striking in this research is how little support the current group of Republican candidates have among the LGBT community in the 2016 presidential elections,” said David Paisley, senior research director at Community Marketing & Insights.
“Unless something changes, the party may largely forfeit about 5% of adults in the United States to the Democrats, which can cause important swings in tight elections.
“Republicans perhaps could connect with LGBTs on issue like the economy, taxation and influence of government in private lives, but instead have chosen policies not supportive of LGBT Americans.”
Last month, The Human Rights Campaign (HRC) board of 32 LGBT rights leaders voted unanimously in favour of Hillary Clinton for President – noting her raft of LGBT policy pledges.
HRC opted to favour Clinton’s plan – which includes 24 sweeping pledges across LGBT policy areas – over Sanders, who has outlined just seven specific LGBT policies.
