Support for same-sex marriage hits a record high in U.S.

NewsWorks Tonight host Dave Heller sits down for his weekly conversation with Gallup’s Frank Newport to talk about trends in U.S. opinion.

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U.S. support for same-sex marriage has reached 67 percent — a record high. Just two decades ago, support was only 27 percent. It's one of the biggest changes in American attitudes in Gallup polling history. (Mark Lennihan/AP Photo)

U.S. support for same-sex marriage has reached 67 percent — a record high. Just two decades ago, support was only 27 percent. It's one of the biggest changes in American attitudes in Gallup polling history. (Mark Lennihan/AP Photo)

NewsWorks Tonight host Dave Heller sits down for his weekly conversation with Gallup’s Frank Newport to talk about trends in U.S. opinion.

The biggest political elephant in the room at this point continues to be the Mueller investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election. A review of recent polling across organizations shows that most Americans think that the investigation is worthwhile and should continue.

New research shows that — however they are defined — evangelicals remain a strong source of support for President Donald Trump. This is not necessarily new, however. White evangelicals supported George W. Bush and were much more negative in their approval of Barack Obama’s performance as president.

Gallup’s update on American views of the moral acceptability of various practices finds a very wide range: 91 percent back birth control, while 10 percent condone married men and women having an affair.

Attitudes on sex between teenagers, sex between an unmarried man and woman, and having a baby outside of marriage have become much more forgiving.

And, germane to newly legalized sports betting, 69 percent of Americans now say that gambling is morally acceptable.

Support for same-sex marriage has reached 67 percent — a record high. Just two decades ago, support was only 27 percent. It’s one of the biggest changes in American attitudes in Gallup polling history.

An update on the LGBT population in the U.S.— using the largest sample in existence — shows 4.5 percent of Americans identify as “lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender” up from 3.5 percent in 2012. That increase is largely due to millennials; experts say LGBT identification is becoming normatively easier today among those who are younger.

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