The Gay and Lesbian Voting Bloc

[ruggerson]

Exit polling data from the last few presidential elections show that gays and lesbians represent anywhere from 3 to 5% of the voting public nationwide.

And these are just the people willing to self identify to a pollster, a stranger, asking personal questions outside a polling station. The actual numbers could realistically be higher.

The same polling data shows that gays and lesbians vote overwhelmingly Democratic, by 3 to 1 margins.

Thus, the gay and lesbian voting bloc nationally comprises anywhere from 4 to 7% or higher of the votes cast for the democratic candidate.

4 to 7%.

Without that vote, in a country split right down the middle, the Democrat has virtually no chance to win the White House.

In major blue states and blue cities, and even many red cities, the numbers climb much higher.

Now, most gays and lesbians I know are not single issues voters. I can't speak for anyone else, but my laundry list of issues I care about includes the war in Iraq, restoring our country's status around the globe, ending corporate taxation loopholes, having government look out for and work for the interests of the poor and less fortunate, having government get involved in funding stem cell research, having government stop interfering with private family medical decisions, including abortion and right to die decisions for the terminally ill.

Having said that, many of us expect a democratic candidate to afford the gay community some basic respect and acknowledgement of our humanhood.

Personally, I understand (though disagree with) the fact that the major candidates feel they cannot publicly come out in favor of legalized same sex marriage. It's not a deal breaker for me. It's political reality.

What is a deal breaker is for a Democratic candidate to embrace, condone, laud or otherwise validate a noxious, evil bigot like Tom Coburn or James Inhofe.

I do not care about Tom Coburn's stance on "fair trade" or government ethics reform.

Just like I do not care about David Duke's stand on North Korea or the Klu Klux Klan's stand on global warming.

A presidential candidate should not compartmentalize, when basic human rights are under attack.

Tom Coburn is a monstrous, nutjob bigot. His draconian bigotry towards the gay and lesbian community completely invalidates everything else the man does in public life.

At the very least, at the VERY least, Democratic presidential candidates should not be giving people like Tom Coburn public plaudits.

You owe that, at the minimum, to the 4-7% of your supporters that you will need to hold in order to take the White House back.

[Maven]

1. Thank you and well put.

K/R

[sniffa]

2. i'd go so far as to put this on most of the candidates

don't take the GLBT community for granted.

and i resent the impLication of "singLe issue" voters. it's an attempt to stifLe, and say get on the grown-up bus before we throw you under it.

[Sapphocrat]

3. I couldn't come close to saying it half as well.

Perfectly said. A hearty K&R for a must-read post. :thumbsup:

[terrya]

4. Excellent post. Thank you.

I am disappointed in the 3 major candidates re: marriage equality. I will vote for any of the three IF they are the nominee. But I have to say I'm disappointed in their stances on our rights for full marriage equality.

I watched the GLBT forum on Logo a few weeks ago. And as I listened to Obama, Edwards, and Clinton twist and turn and explain why they support gay and lesbian couples getting the same benefits heteros get, but civil unions, NOT marriage, I thought "why can't they say they support marriage?".

I've read some of the comments here about how people in Congress have to reach out to their ideological opposites to "get things done". But when said opponent says that the "gay agenda is the most terrible thing this country faces" or whatever his words were...well, Senator Obama, you can't claim to support OUR community if you reach out to a man who personfies bigotry and discrimination. Obama can't have it both ways.

I'm not a good writer, by any means. ruggerson, you said it far better than I ever could. Thank you.

[eridani]

5. Who gave Tom Coburn public plaudits? n/t

[Sapphocrat]

6. ...

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x1663210

[Exultant Democracy]

7. Too bad it is 3-1 and not 4-0

that extra 3% of the voting population would be enough to put Democrats over the top in a lot of races.

[ruggerson]

9. A lot of more well off folks

vote primarily their pocketbook, and they've bought the Republican spin that if you make 100K +, you're better off with the lower taxes the dark side will bring you. They, of course, don't think it through to see that lower taxes equal larger deficits and that they will pay for it down the road with a ravaged economy. There are also people who were brought up Republican, it's their family tradition, and so they vote that way, even when it's against their self interest. None of this is indicative solely of the gay population, there are many straight people who also vote Republican when it's clearly against their self interest.

[Sapphocrat]

10. Yeah, we get a lot of flak about the 25% who vote Rethug.

OTOH, how many other voting blocs, minority or otherwise, can boast a consistent 75% Democratic vote* -- and a total 80%-90% voter turnout?**


* Minus, I am guessing, around a 2%-3% Green vote -- but that's just a guess.


** "The study this spring by San Francisco-based Community Marketing Inc. found that an eye-popping 92.5% of gay men reported that they voted in the 2004 presidential race, and almost 84% said they cast ballots in the 2006 midterm election. Among lesbians, the results were almost as impressive; nearly 91% said they voted in 2004; for the midterm, the figure was 78%.

"By comparison, the Washington-based Committee for the Study of the American Electorate put the turnout for all Americans eligible to vote at about 61% in 2004 and roughly 40% in 2006."

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/washington/2007/08/gay-power.html

[ruggerson]

11. Good point

we are a reliable voting constituency with unbelievably high turnout percentages.

Yet another reason why it's just plain dumb politics to alienate us.

[Bjorn Against]

8. It should be noted again that 4%-7% figure you gave is a very conservative one

I know you made this pretty clear, but I wanted to reinforce it because I am almost certain the real number is higher than 7% of Democratic voters. My totally non-scientific estimate is around 10%, but it would be hard to ever get a clear number because a lot of people aren't comfortable discussing their sexual orientation. No matter what the real number is though it is clear they represent a very significant voting bloc.

[TSIAS]

12. Who should gays support?

I'm not gay myself, but the issue is on importance to me.

I'd speculate you wouldn't be too keen on Kucinich being the nominee. I'd bet the farm you'll call him "unelectable".

I'd like it if any of the candidates came out for gay marriage, but none of the front-runners have.

It seems like Obama is being criticized for the stance of almost every major candidate in this race.

[ruggerson]

13. Obama is being criticized

by a number of us, for publicly lauding a notorious homophobe.

This episode has nothing to do with his, or anyone else's, stance on same sex marriage.

[NMMNG]

14. I wouldn't call Kucinich "unelectable"

I'll be voting for him in the Primary and I hope he makes it past that stage for reasons beyond gay marriage/gay rights. He's got a great deal to offer.

Obama, on the other hand, has very little to offer.

[dsc]

15. thank you for a great post

I was going to post myself buy you did far better than I would have.

[defendandprotect]

16. And then there are simply straight people who support full rights/marriage for gays --

And PLUS I would think there are a lotta bi-sexual people -- there is that closet still to be opened -- and I would imagine that they're somewhat sympatico with gay/lesbian civil rights/marriage?????

So -- add in friends and family of gays/lesbians as well as bi-sexuals -- !!!!

Btw, I was really disappointed and sad at Edwards response re gay marriage --
what is his problem????

What about if only gays/lesbians and bi-sexuals -- their friends and family -- got to vote on heterosexual marriages???? Would that shake up Edwards thinking???

[democratsin08]

17. coburn is a bigot

however, im a lesbian and i dont consider myself part of any "voting block". i find that sexist and insulting. i think for myself and dont appreciate being put in any "block"

[draft_mario_cuomo]

18. K & R, thanks for sharing your views nt