Executive Summary

The Center for American Progress released a memo today based on research and analysis conducted by Greenberg Quinlan Rosner Research focusing on the “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy. The survey was conducted among 827 2008 voters (635 likely 2010 voters) between January 12 and 26, 2010.

Key Findings

Among the major findings in this research are:

• By a 54 to 35 percent margin, voters support repealing “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.”
• Unlike so many other issues in the country right now—and unlike 1993—this issue simply does not polarize voters. Even among Republicans, repeal finds support with four in ten voters.
• In the context of two hot wars, voters also want to change right now. By a 60 to 31 percent margin among likely voters, there is a belief that “we are in the middle of two wars and need every talented man and woman we can get, regardless of sexual orientation,” compared to “we are in the middle of two wars and this is no time to make such a dramatic change as allowing gays and lesbians to serve openly in the military.”
• Voters could not hold the U.S. military in higher esteem. The military generates 90 percent favorably rating among all voters in this survey. However, voters also do not defer this decision to the military. A 66 percent majority of all voters in this survey say military opposition would make no difference in their opinion of this issue.