Posted on 08/07/2003 5:26:59 PM PDT by nwrep
Dean has strong lead among various queers
SUMMARY: Democratic presidential candidate Howard Dean is strongly favored by gay voters, according to survey results released Monday by the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force (news - web sites) (NGLTF), with three times as many backers as any other candidate.
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Democratic presidential candidate Howard Dean is strongly favored by gay voters, according to survey results released Monday by the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force (NGLTF), with three times as many backers as any other candidate.
The survey was given to 1,471 lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender participants at three June Gay Pride events in Los Angeles, New York and Washington, D.C. Among respondents who planned to vote in the 2004 Democratic primary, 32 percent said they would back Dean, formerly the governor of Vermont.
Sen. John Kerry came in second, with 10 percent of eligible respondents backing him. Sen. Joseph Lieberman was third, with 7 percent; Congressman Richard Gephardt received 6 percent; former senator Carol Moseley Braun took 5 percent; Sen. John Edwards got 4 percent; 3 percent of those polled liked Rev. Al Sharpton; Rep. Dennis Kucinich received 2 percent; and Sen. Bob Graham saw 1 percent in favor of him. Of the rest of respondents planning to vote in the Democratic primary, 28 percent were undecided.
A two-thirds majority of respondents planned to vote for a Democratic nominee. Five percent asserted support for President George W. Bush (news - web sites), and 12 percent favored a third-party candidate.
According to the NGLTF's Web site, Voter News Service data shows that openly gay, lesbian and bisexual voters make up at least 5 percent of the vote in national elections. In Democratic primaries, the LGBT vote is estimated at 10 percent of the total.
"I am proud that the gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender community has embraced my candidacy," said Governor Dean in a press release. "I am committed to ensuring full equality for every American."
Dean made history when, as governor of Vermont, he signed the nation's only legislation granting legal status to gay and lesbian civil unions. He has refrained from supporting same-sex marriage, but, according to the NGLTF, he has encouraged U.S. states to recognize gay Americans who were married in Canada.
"Clearly, Governor Dean's record of leadership on civil unions in Vermont and his willingness to speak about equal rights for gay people to all audiences is resonating in our community," said Matt Foreman, National Gay and Lesbian Task Force executive director.
The NGLTF survey also asked Pride attendees about the three most important issues for the LGBT community. The number-one issue was partner recognition, followed by nondiscrimination and a tie for third place between hate crimes and HIV (news - web sites)/AIDS (news - web sites) treatment and prevention.
This is really going to screw up his new "moderate" image.....especially sad considering all the work the media put into his make-over.
LVM
That's why they love him
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