Broad support for constitutional amendment defining marriage

CHATTANOOGA (AP) — Two out of three Tennesseans favor amending the U.S. Constitution to define marriage as a union between a man and a woman only, according to a new statewide poll.

Sixty-five percent of Tennesseans surveyed by Research 2000, a nonpartisan polling firm based in Rockville, Md., said marriage should be defined in the Constitution as between a man and woman, while 32 percent do not. Three percent were not sure.

The poll, conducted for the Chattanooga Times Free Press and other media organizations, surveyed 600 likely voters on May 23 and 24 and has a margin of error of plus or minus 4 percentage points.

Thirty-two percent of poll respondents characterized themselves as Democrats, 39 percent as Republicans and 29 percent as independents.

Most Democrats, 53 percent, didn’t favor amending the Constitution for the gay marriage issue. But among Republicans, 81 percent polled said the Constitution should be changed.

Bob Davis, chairman of the Tennessee Republican Party, said social values on issues such as gay marriage are based on religious convictions for many Tennesseans.

“Tennessee is a conservative, family values, traditional family values state,” he said.

Randy Button, chairman of the Tennessee Democratic Party, said state Democrats are more concerned with pocketbook issues.

“The high price of gas and protecting Social Security are more important to Tennessee Democrats than gay marriage,” he said.

Voters could get the chance to decide in 2006 whether to amend the Tennessee Constitution to ban gay marriage if the Legislature approves a pending resolution next session.