Voters in the key swing states of Colorado, Iowa and Virginia overwhelmingly agree with Pope Francis' calls to do more to address climate change, a new poll has found.
According to a
Quinnipiac University poll conducted July 9-20, voters by 2-1 say climate changed is caused by human activity:
- In Colorado, 62 percent of voters agree with Pope Francis' call for action on climate change, compared to 31 percent who disagree.
- In Iowa, 65 percent of voters back the Pope's call on climate change, compared to 25 percent who don't.
- In Virginia, 64 percent of voters agree with Pope Francis' call for climate change, compared to 27 percent who disagree.
In all three states, agreement is strongest among Democrats.
At the same time, a majority of voters say climate change is not a moral issue, the poll found.
Meanwhile, the poll also examined levels of support for same-sex marriage in those three swing states, as well as opinions on the Supreme Court decision legalizing same-sex unions in all 50 states. It found that on both issues, a majority or near majority of voters were in favor.
- In Colorado, 59 percent support same-sex marriage and 57 percent support the Supreme Court's decision.
- In Iowa, 51 percent support same-sex marriage and 51 percent support legalizing gay marriage nationwide.
- In Virginia, 49 percent support same-sex marriage and 49 percent support the Supreme Court's decision.
By wider margins, voters in each state oppose a constitutional amendment allowing states to ban same-sex marriage. They also strongly oppose allowing businesses to decline to offer services to gays and lesbians.
"Voters in Colorado, Iowa, and Virginia who side with the Catholic Church on the environment would seem to part ways on the issue of same-sex marriage," said Peter Brown, assistant director of the Quinnipiac University poll, in a statement.
"Businesses cannot refuse service to gays, voters say. But they are split on whether a business owned by a person who views same-sex weddings as sacrilegious should be forced to serve homosexuals."