NEW YORK, Dec. 20 (UPI) -- A New York Times/CBS News poll coming out Sunday says most Americans would support a constitutional amendment banning gay marriages.
The nationwide poll found 55 percent of Americans favor an amendment restricting marriage to only between a man and a woman, while 40 percent opposed the idea, the Times reported.
The poll was conducted from Dec. 10 through Dec. 13 in telephone interviews with 1,057 people.
Fifty-three percent of the respondents consider marriage a religious matter and 71 percent of that group oppose gay marriage, the Times said.
Thirty-three percent said marriage is a legal matter and a majority of them, 55 percent, support gay marriage.
The Times speculated the issue could move to the forefront, carrying an advantage for Republicans, in the upcoming presidential election.
President Bush last week voiced support for a constitutional amendment barring gay marriages while most of the Democratic candidates oppose gay marriage but favor civil unions.
