Gallup Poll Finds Republican Same-Sex Marriage Support at 37%

A new Gallup poll shows support for same-sex marriage has declined for the first time in more than two decades of steady gains, with the drop concentrated almost entirely among Republicans. Overall, 65 percent of U.S. adults now say same-sex marriage should be legal, down from 71 percent in both 2022 and 2023. The May survey marks the first measurable retreat after years of rising acceptance that began from a low of 27 percent in 1996.

The change tracks directly with Republican voters. Only 37 percent of Republicans now back legal recognition for same-sex marriage, down from 55 percent in 2021 and 2022. Support for the morality of gay and lesbian relationships among Republicans has slipped to 35 percent. Democrats and independents show no comparable movement, with majorities in both groups continuing to affirm both the legality of same-sex marriage and the moral acceptability of same-sex relationships.

Gallup editor Jeffrey Jones noted that Republican attitudes had moved in tandem with the national trend for years before reversing. He pointed to the 2024 campaign as a likely factor in the shift. Since taking office, the Trump administration has moved quickly to dismantle federal diversity, equity and inclusion programs and to impose new restrictions on transgender healthcare access, participation in sports and gender markers on official documents. While the president has appointed some openly gay officials, major conservative allies including the Heritage Foundation have continued to press for broader rollbacks.

The Supreme Court declined last year to revisit its 2015 Obergefell decision, signaling that the nationwide right to same-sex marriage remains settled law for now. Yet LGBTQ+ advocates say the legal foundation is under renewed pressure. National Center for LGBTQ Rights legal director Shannon Minter has warned that litigation and state-level restrictions could intensify.

The latest figures represent a partial reversal of long-term progress. Acceptance of the morality of same-sex relationships had climbed nearly 30 points from 40 percent in 2001 before stalling. The current downturn, though modest in national terms, underscores how partisan polarization has begun to erode what had appeared to be a durable social consensus.