Vast majority of LGBTQ+ Americans back Harris over Trump ahead of US election

Donald Trump and Kamala Harris

Most LGBTQ+ Americans are backing Kamala Harris and Tim Walz over Donald Trump and JD Vance in the race for the White House, a poll has shown. 

The Human Rights Campaign (HRC) poll, published on Tuesday (17 September), found that the Democrat pairing have a 67-point lead over their Republican rivals among queer voters.

The survey of more than 2,400 LGBTQ+ people showed that 74 per cent prefer Harris/Walz, while only 7.5 per cent support the Trump-Vance ticket, among the 95.8 per cent of respondents who said they are planning to vote in November. 

Policy issues that were flagged as motivating LGBTQ+ voters included, equality, reproductive rights, a reform of the Supreme Court, the cost of living, and Project 2025. 

Kamala Harris and Democratic vice presidential candidate Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz.
Democrats Kamala Harris and Tim Walz are well ahead among queer voters. (Andrew Harnik/Getty Images)

Trump has denied links to Project 2025, which promotes right-wing policies, including threatening LGBTQ+ rights and limiting access to abortion. However, fact-checkers have said his claim is “misleading”.  More than 92 per cent of LGBTQ+ Americans said they have seen, read or heard about what has been described as a Republican presidential wish list, with a large majority viewing the proposals “very unfavourably”. 

The poll began collecting data two weeks after president Joe Biden dropped out of the race in July and was completed before the Democratic National Convention last month. 

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‘These findings underscore the power of LGBTQ+ voters’

Director of public education and research at the HRC, Shoshana K Goldberg, said: “These findings underscore the power of LGBTQ+ voters. 

“Virtually all LGBTQ+ Americans are registered and motivated to vote in this election. The LGBTQ+ community is diverse, with a wide range of issue – from the economy to civil rights to democracy – that bring the community to the polls. 

“Without a doubt, LGBTQ+ voters will continue to use the ballot box to fight for our right to live and thrive free from discrimination in this election and beyond.”

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