Marriage equality moves ahead in New Jersey.

New Jersey is moving toward marriage equality and Republican Governor Chris Christie says that the voters would ratify if put a referendum.

Christie has been an opponent, but the feelings of this observer is that he is a reluctant opponent, shackled by the Religious Right of his own party. Christie's own sentiments, I suspect are more tolerant as indicated by his recent appointment of a black, gay man to the state Supreme Court.

Christie said: "The polls that I've seen show that if this goes to the ballot, I lose."

Recently the Senate Judiciary Committee sent a bill legalizing same-sex marriage to the Senate for a vote. Previously the Senate rejected the measure but several legislator have had a change of mind and the bill is expected to pass.

Christie says he will veto the bill and has asked legislators to pass a bill sending it to the voters—a favored way for cowardly legislators to avoid taking responsibility for their own postions.

New Jersey Support for Equality at New High

For the first time a poll of New Jersey residents shows a majority in favor of marriage equality. The Quinnipiac University Polling Institute released the results showing that 52% of New Jersey residents now support full marriage equality for same-sex couples. Opposition is down to 42%. Since their last poss, in April, 2009 they found support has increased by 3 points and opposition has dropped by 1 point.

Democrats support the measure by 62-33 percent. Republicans oppose the measure by 59-35 percent. And independent voters, once again showing their mushy libertarian sentiments support the measure 54 to 38 percent. A plurality of men and a majority of women support the measure.

The results of a series of polls show continually increasing support for marriage equality. In November 2006 support was at 41%, by December of that year it had increased to 44%. In April 2009 support had risen to 49% and now sits at 52%. Opposition declined from 50% in 2006 to 42% today.

As usual support for civil unions is significantly higher with 69% of all residents supporting the measure. Even 65% of Republicans will accept civil unions. Support is highest among independent voters with 71% support. Asked if they think same-sex marriage is a "threat to traditional marriage" a majority of all groups said they disagreed with the notion. Only Republicans were even closely divided but said they disagreed by a 51-46 margin.

Asked if denying same-sex marriage is discrimination a majority said it is. Only Republicans are in denial with 66% saying it is not discrimination. Majorities of Democrats, independents, men, women, and both whites and blacks say it is discrimination.

Gov. Christie, a Republican, is currently staying mum on whether he would approve a new law legalizing marriage equality. New Jersey currently allows civil unions but a commission set up by the state found that civil unions failed to provide the same protections to couples that marriage provided and that their legal standing confused people causing significant problems.

Majority in New Jersey Back Marriage Equality

A Rutgers-Eagleton Poll has found that a majority of residents in New Jersey support gay marriage. If they ask about "gay marriage" the support comes in at 52%, if they ask if people support marriage equality support jumps to 61%. People are strange. If you ask if they oppose gay marriage, 39% say they do, but ask if they oppose marriage equality for gay couples and then only 27% want legal discrimination. And 9% don't know what they believe.

The poll director, David Redlawsk, says that all age groups support marriage for gay couples except those over the age of 65. "Whatever it is called, support for state recognition of same-sex marriage remains strong and most likely will grow over time," he said. Democrats and independents support marriage rights strongly, while Republicans again are the party of inequality and big government regulation.

The poll shows the importance of terminology. A press statement from the poll says:

While support measured with the term “marriage equality” is stronger than for “gay marriage,” by 61 percent to 52 percent, certain groups are especially influenced by the name change. Support among those who never attended college jumps 25 points to 66 percent for marriage equality, while support among men climbs 16 points to 63 percent. Women, stronger supporters of the issue in the first place, are less influenced; their support increases 3 points to 59 percent when marriage equality is used to describe the relationship. Catholics are also particularly responsive to reframing the issue: 49 percent favor legalizing gay marriage but rises 63 percent when asked about marriage equality.

Language also greatly influences senior citizens. While opposition to gay marriage is strong among those 65 and over, with only 32 percent supporting legalization and 53 percent opposing it, results flip when marriage equality is used. Nearly half (49 percent) of older respondents approve if marriage equality is used. One-third oppose and 16 percent are unfamiliar with the phrase or are uncertain.

“This illustrates how language used to describe an issue really matters,” said Redlawsk. “While on the whole, New Jerseyans are ready to see the state legalize same-sex marriage, calling the issue marriage equality minimizes many of the differences between groups we see when gay marriage is used. Americans have a deep belief in equality as a concept. When equality is attached to same-sex relationships, it generates a more positive response based on that underlying ideal.”

Pollster suggest that Republican opposition "is deep and unlikely to change easily." Deep rooted prejudice is unlikely to change quickly. Young people, under 30 are most supportive. About 70% of them support "gay marriage" and 75% support marriage equality. Redlawski suggests that young people "are really responding 'why is this even an issue?'"

About one in four say they have gay family members and 53% say they have gay friends. People who do have gay friends or family are more supportive of marriage equality, at 60%.

Upper income people are more supportive than people at the lower end of the economic ladder. And religious people are least supportive. For Catholics 63% marriage equality where 49% support "gay marriage." The least supportive group of religious people remains fundamentalists with only 18% supporting gay marriage, though support increases to a plurality (41%) when asked about marriage equality.