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Marriage Equality

Congressional Support for Marriage Equality Lags Public's

Congressional Support for Marriage Equality Lags Public's

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Only 34% of members clearly support equal marriage rights, compared with more than 50% of Americans in general.

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The Human Rights Campaign has compiled a searchable database of where members of Congress stand on marriage equality, and it indicates Congress's support lags that of the public.

A total of 181 Congress members -- 36 senators and 145 representatives -- are supportive; they account for 34% of the body's membership. In contrast, recent polls have indicated that more than 50% of Americans support gay couples' right to marry.

"It's time for more of our leaders to get on the right side of history," said HRC president Chad Griffin in announcing the database.

Other findings include that 72% of Democrats in Congress support marriage equality, with 9% opposed and 19% whose positions are unclear or unknown. There is a lone Republican in support, Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen of Florida. Find more information here.

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Trudy Ring

Trudy Ring is The Advocate’s senior politics editor and copy chief. She has been a reporter and editor for daily newspapers and LGBTQ+ weeklies/monthlies, trade magazines, and reference books. She is a political junkie who thinks even the wonkiest details are fascinating, and she always loves to see political candidates who are groundbreaking in some way. She enjoys writing about other topics as well, including religion (she’s interested in what people believe and why), literature, theater, and film. Trudy is a proud “old movie weirdo” and loves the Hollywood films of the 1930s and ’40s above all others. Other interests include classic rock music (Bruce Springsteen rules!) and history. Oh, and she was a Jeopardy! contestant back in 1998 and won two games. Not up there with Amy Schneider, but Trudy still takes pride in this achievement.
Trudy Ring is The Advocate’s senior politics editor and copy chief. She has been a reporter and editor for daily newspapers and LGBTQ+ weeklies/monthlies, trade magazines, and reference books. She is a political junkie who thinks even the wonkiest details are fascinating, and she always loves to see political candidates who are groundbreaking in some way. She enjoys writing about other topics as well, including religion (she’s interested in what people believe and why), literature, theater, and film. Trudy is a proud “old movie weirdo” and loves the Hollywood films of the 1930s and ’40s above all others. Other interests include classic rock music (Bruce Springsteen rules!) and history. Oh, and she was a Jeopardy! contestant back in 1998 and won two games. Not up there with Amy Schneider, but Trudy still takes pride in this achievement.