New Poll Finds Just 52% of Democrats are Against 'Don't Say Gay' Measures

After the very public and controversial passing of Florida's so-called "Don't Say Gay" bill, a number of other states are considering similar measures, including Georgia and Ohio. And a new poll is finding that those bills could have surprising support from some Democrats.

Yahoo News/YouGov's new poll found that 24% of Democrats think it should be "illegal" for "teachers or other school personnel to discuss sexual orientation or gender identity when teaching children in kindergarten through grade three." The same poll found that 76% of Republicans support Florida's "Don't Say Gay" measure, which Gov. Ron DeSantis signed into law last month.

The same poll also found that 24% of Democrats said they are "not sure" how they feel about such measures, which leaves "only about half (52%) in explicit opposition," Yahoo News said. Only one in 10 Republicans are against the measures, which have received outcry and condemnation from LGBTQ+ groups and supporters. The site added: "The resulting imbalance – with conservatives united in their support and liberals largely divided – helps explain why the GOP is leaning into the 'Don't Say Gay' debate as it seeks to rally its base and drive a wedge between Democrats ahead of the 2022 midterm elections."

It was reported this week that Ohio Republicans have introduced a similar – and harsher – "Don't Say Gay"-inspired measure.