WASHINGTON – A new poll released Wednesday reveals Indiana Governor Mike Pence’s deeply damaged political reputation continues to decline over two months after signing into law an anti-LGBT “religious refusal” bill – a law that put LGBT Hoosiers at risk of discrimination, causing an overwhelming outcry from fair-minded people and businesses demanding the bill be fixed.
As the Indianapolis Star reported, the new poll is “bad news for Gov. Mike Pence on the eve of his formal re-election announcement: A majority of voters want a new governor.”
The Journal Gazette adds: “Just under one-third of those polled would re-elect Gov. Mike Pence — 32 percent — while 54 percent favor a new person and the rest are unsure.” Notably, the poll also found that “a majority support amending Indiana’s civil rights law to add sexual orientation and gender identity protections, while 32 percent oppose and 14 percent are undecided.”
The Human Rights Campaign says the polling should be a warning to other state legislatures and governors considering similar anti-LGBT legislation:
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“One thing is clear from Indiana: Legislation attacking LGBT people and their families isn’t just the wrong thing to do—it’s terrible political strategy,” said HRC National Field Director Marty Rouse. “Two months after an initial poll showed the incredible business and political fallout, the damage caused to the state and to Governor Pence’s political career couldn’t be any clearer.”
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A previous poll commissioned by HRC shortly after Pence signed the Indiana legislation revealed that 75 percent of Hoosiers believe the measure damaged the state’s economy, and that Pence’s approval rating had dropped by nearly 20 points since February.