Two weeks after the U.S. Supreme Court heard oral arguments in two highly publicized gay-marriage cases, a majority of Americans continue to say they support same-sex marriage, according to a new NBC News/Wall Street Journal poll. Fifty-three percent of respondents favor allowing gay and lesbian couples to marry. Forty-two percent oppose gay marriage. The breakdown by party is somewhat predictable: 73 percent of Democrats and 54 percent of independents back gay marriage; and 66 percent of Republicans oppose it. Furthermore, nearly 8-in-10 respondents say they know or work with someone who is gay or lesbian, which is an increase of 14 points since December and 17 points since 2004. Meanwhile another NBC News/Wall Street Journal/Telemundo survey revealed that more Hispanics than ever back gay marriage. By a 49 percent to 43 percent margin, Latinos say they are in favor of allowing gay and lesbian couples to marry -- the widest margin for Hispanics in the NBC/WSJ poll’s history.
