By Michelle Griffith | Reporter
Good morning, Reformers.
A new Gallup poll finds support for same-sex marriage in the United States has declined 6 percentage points from its 2022-2023 peak to 65% today.
The poll found that attitudes about LGBTQ issues have changed the most among Republicans. About five years ago, 55% of Republicans said they favored same-sex marriage, but today it’s 37% — an 18 percentage point drop, according to Gallup. The change is most stark among Republican men.
There was a good illustration of this attitude this week with Republican U.S. Rep. Andy Ogles from Tennessee posting on social media, “Homosexuality has no place in America.” He later deleted the post and blamed one of his staff, but has previously indicated he thinks gay marriage should be illegal. (Notably, he has not deleted his post saying “Muslims don’t belong in American society.”)
GOP lawmakers in nine states last year proposed measures urging the U.S. Supreme Court to overturn its landmark 2015 ruling in Obergefell v. Hodges, which granted same-sex couples the right to marry. North Dakota was one of those states. After GOP lawmakers there received a boatload of criticism, some of the lawmakers said they regretted their vote, with one saying he pushed the wrong button.
Also, the Minnesota Republican Party State Executive Committee and Chairman Alex Plechash voted that Plechash didn’t have the authority to release the GOP gubernatorial candidates from their pledge to abide by the endorsement. (h/t Michael Brodkorb)
Plechash earlier this week said that GOP candidates for governor did not have to abide by their pledges to drop out of the race if they were not endorsed because of voting irregularities at the GOP convention this past weekend.
“Kendall Qualls and every other endorsed Republican candidate will have the full support and resources of the MNGOP,” Plechash said in a statement. “That has always been my position. I fully realize that my earlier statement created confusion.”
House Speaker Lisa Demuth cited the GOP chairman absolving the pledge as the “number one factor” as to why she was continuing onto the primary. We’ve asked Demuth’s campaign what this means for her decision.
Onto today’s Reformer.
Manna Foods Co-Op stands in the downtown area of Detroit Lakes, Minnesota Monday, May 11, 2026. (Photo by Nicole Neri/Minnesota Reformer)
By Cole Hanson
Manna Food Co-Op in Detroit Lakes works directly with over 40 vendors within 100 miles, building a local supply chain that a chain grocer could never replace, argues owner Ryan Pesch.
The store, which grew out of the local farmers market, impresses people from the Twin Cities who are surprised that a co-op is successfully operating in rural Minnesota.
“The dyed-in-the-wool liberal who drives a Subaru can come shop and feel comfortable,” Pesch said. “And the guy packing heat, who’s a die-hard Ron Paul fan, can also come shop.” The entire store is deliberate about this: “I try not to let the politics get in the way of good food.”
By Cally Proctor
Cally Proctor writes that this past weekend’s Minnesota GOP convention will likely be her last unless serious changes are made.
She writes every disagreement seemed to become a morality play and every strategic difference was treated like a betrayal.
“I walked into the convention hopeful, believing I was participating in something important. And I found myself wondering how many first-time delegates drove home thinking the same thing: Nevermind,” she writes.
IN OTHER NEWS
US House approves measure to restrain Trump action in Iran | Reformer via States Newsroom
Marjane Satrapi, the author of ‘Persepolis,’ dies at 56 | New York Times
OH BY THE WAY
A spokesperson for Demuth reached out to me taking issue with a sentence from yesterday’s newsletter.
Max Nesterak wrote, “Demuth would not say if she would pardon Derek Chauvin for the murder of George Floyd or how she felt about the moment of silence for the former police officer who is still very much alive.”
The spokesperson said that Demuth did address the moment of silence.
We rolled back the tape. Here’s the quote (or watch the video): “I actually was not on the convention floor at the time, so I was hearing much, much later on things. What I would say, though, is moments of silence typically have always ... when I think of fallen officers and first responders, I think back to two years ago to the Burnsville tragedy. I think just two years ago to Jamal Mitchell in Minneapolis. That is what I typically would think of.”
Did any of you come away from that with a clear understanding of Demuth’s position on the Chauvin silence?
We asked Demuth’s spokesperson if she would clear things up for us by simply condemning or voicing support for the moment of silence.
“She absolutely believes moments of silence should be reserved for fallen heroes,” the spokesperson said.
There you have it.
That’s all from me. Have a great Thursday.
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