Poll warns Pelosi to back off radical social agenda

Heartland Democrats two years ago tried to tell then-presidential candidate Hillary Clinton that it appeared she cared more about bathrooms than jobs, referencing her emphasis on social issues such as transgender and gay "rights."

She didn't listen.

Now the same message is being delivered to Nancy Pelosi, who plans to be the next House speaker.

The message comes from a poll by the Family Research Council.

"In the last 48 hours, there's been a lot of speculation about what motivated voters to give back control of the House to Democrats. But based on exit polling, we can tell you one thing: it isn’t their radical social policy," the organization said.

"Some Americans may be frustrated by GOP leaders or at odds with Donald Trump, but their positions on life, religious liberty, and sexuality are still light years more conservative than the party they just handed half of Congress to."

The report said the survey, commissioned by FRC and done by McLaughlin & Associates, asked 1,000 people their thoughts on a wide variety of issues.

"The answers we got (which, interestingly, included more people who voted for Democrats on Tuesday than Republicans) might surprise you," the report said.

"When they were asked if they approved or disapproved of 'government forcing schools, businesses, and nonprofit organizations opening showers, changing facilities, locker rooms, and bathrooms designated for women and girls to biological males and vice versa,' the answer couldn't be clearer. Sixty percent said they opposed the bathroom policies of Barack Obama and other liberals, compared to just 24 percent who approved. That's a 36-point gap on an issue that Pelosi has already promised to force on Americans in the new Congress."

Her plan, known as the Equality Act, has been called "the most radical piece of LGBT legislation ever introduced," and it likely will be a top priority for House Democrats.

Some Democrats have warned that the bill tarnishes Democrats.

Illinois State Rep. Jerry Costello told Politico the "Democratic brand is hugely damaged, and it’s going to take a while to bring it back."

"Democrats in southern Illinois have been more identified by [transgender] bathrooms than by putting people back to work," he said.

Then there's the federal government plan, launched by Obama, to redefine sex to include "gender identity."

"Asked if they wanted to 'allow individuals who identify as transgender to get a special legal status related to employment law, federally-funded health care benefits, and the use of bathrooms and showers of the opposite sex,' 54 percent said no. Only 27 percent agree with radical positions of Pelosi and Obama," said FRC.

Then there's abortion.

On that issue Democrats have boxed themselves have gone so far as to demand taxpayer-funded abortions in their platform.

Fifty-six percent of respondents disagree.

"As other polls have shown, the majority of Americans appreciate the Hyde Amendment that Democrats want to abolish – the 41-year-old wall between taxpayers and elective abortion. That’s double the 28 percent in Pelosi's camp," FRC said.

And on marriage?

"A whopping 70 percent of respondents agreed that the government 'should leave people free to follow their beliefs about marriage between one man and one woman' – not just in how they live their lives but in how they run their businesses. They've seen people like Jack Phillips, Aaron and Melissa Klein, and Barronelle Stuzman personally destroyed for daring to hold a view on marriage that Barack Obama did five years ago. (And, as our poll shows, a plurality still do!) That's an astounding majority…"

FRC notes that if the Democrats don't listen, voters will have a say in two years.