Gallup's pollsters found that 53 percent of US residents back legalizing gay marriage, while 45 percent are opposed. Last year, 53 percent of respondents were against gay marriage, and 44 were in favor. The national surge comes as Albany debates whether to legalize gay marriage in New York state. Gov. Cuomo and the Democratic run Assembly support same sex marriage, but the legislation has stalled in the Republican-controlled Senate. Mayor Michael Bloomberg went to Albany to ask that lawmakers make it possible for gay couples to marry in New York State.
Five states currently allow same-sex couples to marry. In date order, those states are: Massachusetts, Connecticut, Iowa, Vermont and New Hampshire. The federal government of the United States does not recognize the marriages of same-sex couples and is prohibited from doing so by the Defense of Marriage Act.
