A new poll has found that 32% of Americans would prefer to vote for a candidate who vocally opposes LGBTQ+ rights over one who vocally supports them.
The survey comes from Data for Progress, a progressive US-based research group, and was first reported by The Advocate.
According to the results, just over half of respondents 51% said they were more likely to vote for a candidate who actively supports LGBTQ+ rights.
A further 16 per cent said they did not know which kind of candidate they would prefer when it came to support for queer communities.
However, despite almost a third of respondents saying they would prefer an anti-LGBTQ+ candidate, only one per cent said LGBTQ+ issues were the most important factor in deciding how they vote.
Alongside the poll results, Data for Progress noted that Donald Trump and other Republican candidates spent at least US$215 million on televised ads targeting Democratic candidates over supposed trans issues during the 2024 election cycle.
The polling comes amid continued attacks on Pride Month in the United States, where several Republican-governed states have used June to promote alternative celebrations framed around conservative family values.
Indiana and Tennessee both proclaimed June to be “Nuclear Family Month”, Alabama declared it “Strong Families Month”, Illinois marked it as “Family Month”, while Arkansas and Utah celebrated “Fidelity Month”.
The results suggest that while most Americans surveyed still favour candidates who support LGBTQ+ rights, anti-LGBTQ+ messaging continues to hold political appeal for a significant minority of voters.
For advocates, the findings underline the importance of defending LGBTQ+ rights not only through policy, but also by challenging the political narratives that turn queer and trans communities into election-year targets.
