SYRACUSE -- President Barack Obama's support of same sex marriage is still a hot topic. It's sure to fire up voters on both sides of the issue this fall. But what about black voters -- a group that was key to his 2008 election?
“I was taught that it's against God's word,” said Bertha Adams, who lives in Manlius and says she’s the daughter of a preacher. “But it's happening all over anyway so why have the big hoopla about it.”
"As long as people are paying their taxes and carrying on with their normal daily life, it really shouldn't affect how you carry your life and your values and how you see it,” said DePaul Crowell, who lives in Syracuse.
And while many black voters we spoke with say they're okay with same sex marriage, it's not the same sentiment nationwide.
A new ABC News/Washington post poll finds 55% of black voters are against same sex marriage.
Just this week -- black voters in North Carolina voted overwhelmingly in favor of a constitutional ban on same sex marriage in the state.
North Carolina was a swing state in 2008 with nearly all black voters in favor of Obama.
So as we get closer to the November election, how will the president's stance on same sex marriage affect the black vote?
“I hope not, it'd be kind of stupid,” said Lawrence Corriders, who lives in Syracuse. “With me growing up -- I had blinders on and I never would had thought I’d be for same sex marriage,”
“Frankly, I voted for him because I wanted to see someone like that in the White House,” said Jeffery Worsley of Syracuse. “But in terms of voting for him on his current stance, I can't see doing that.”
Meanwhile, many black voters we spoke with said, in the end, this election will come down to jobs and the economy.
