WFHB Bloomington Community Radio
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Freedom Indiana is challenging survey results released by the Indiana Family Institute (IFI) concerning gay marriage rights in Indiana. Earlier this month the IFI released poll results showing strong support for a marriage amendment among Hoosier voters. According to its news release, two-thirds of Indiana voters favor defining marriage solely as the union of one man and one woman. Jennifer Wagner, communication director for Freedom Indiana, said according to their survey more than 60 percent of Hoosiers do not think amendments should be made to address the issue of same sex marriage, and more than 70 percent say they believe same sex couples deserve more legal recognition.
“We strongly disagree with their polling results,” Wagner said. “To us, the Indiana Family Institute poll is an outlier, we question the methodology that they used because it doesn’t match up with any other polling that’s been done on this issue, either statewide or nationally.”
Wagner said Freedom Indiana’s survey was conducted by a respected GOP pollster, Christine Matthews, who has been polling in Indiana for two decades, most notably for former Governor Mitch Daniels.
“There have been other polls recently done statewide,” Wagner said, “by Ball State, by WISH-TV, that show the issue of the marriage amendment is roughly evenly split. And then when you further ask Hoosiers, what do they think about legal protections for same-sex couples, do they think that the constitution is the place to have this conversation, it becomes even more on our side of the issue.”
The IFI’s work, according to their website, focuses on “public policy, research, and education regarding the health and well-being of all Hoosier families.” Freedom Indiana is opposed to an amendment that would permanently alter the Indiana Constitution’s definition of marriage.
