Obama's endorsement of gay marriage results in 11% increase in support among NC African-Americans

There's been a noticeable shift in the attitudes of African Americans in North Carolina toward rights for gay couples in the wake of President Obama's announcement last week that he supports gay marriage. Our final poll before the primary last week found only 20% of black voters in the state favoring gay marriage, with 63% opposed. Now 27% express support for gay marriage with 59% opposed, for an overall 11 point shift on the margin.

There's been a similar movement when it comes to the overall idea of providing gay couples legal rights in the form of either marriage or civil unions. Before the primary 44% of African Americans favored one of those with 51% opposed to any sort of legal recognition for same sex couples. Now 55% of blacks support either gay marriage or civil unions with only 39% against any sort of recognition. Obama's words look to be having an impact.

-In another indication that North Carolinians don't really know what they voted for last week 55% of voters in the state say they support either gay marriage or civil unions. Even though 61% voted to ban both of those things last week. We also asked very explicitly whether same sex couples should be allowed civil unions with the same legal rights as marriage and the state splits on that question at 46%.

On a side note 8% of North Carolina voters, including 13% of Republicans, think being gay should be a felony.