They Said Obergefell Settled It. Eleven Years Later, the Voters Disagree.

A brand new survey of 1,200 conservative and moderate voters finds 82% agree that no child should be deliberately denied a mother or a father.

Today marks eleven years since the Supreme Court handed down Obergefell v. Hodges. The decision did more than mandate marriage licenses for same-sex couples. It redefined marriage in law, and redefining marriage redefines parenthood. Once husbands and wives became optional in marriage, mothers and fathers became optional in parenthood, eroding the right every child has to their own mother and father.

In all that time, we’ve been told the question was settled. Our cultural and political leaders have treated a child’s need for a mother and a father as a bias to be corrected. A new national survey, commissioned by the Greater Than Campaign, says they got it wrong.

The poll of 1,200 conservative and moderate likely general-election voters was conducted June 14–16, 2026, by The Decision Co. and released today by the Greater Than coalition, a national alliance of parents, faith leaders, scholars, lawyers, and advocacy organizations working to protect children’s rights in marriage and family law.

The survey comes at a moment when the legacy of Obergefell is being argued all over again. And the results aren’t close: 82% of these voters agree no child should be deliberately denied a mother or a father.

Katy Faust, Founder and President of Them Before Us, said:

“For years, the left has portrayed the belief that children deserve both their mother and father as a fringe view. This poll proves otherwise. Among conservative and moderate voters, there is overwhelming agreement that children have a right to both parents whenever possible. At a time when the political right is often described as divided, this issue stands out as one of remarkable unity. The conviction that children should come before adult desires remains a defining value shared across the conservative movement.”

Josh Hammer, Greater Than Coalition Member, Senior Editor-at-Large at Newsweek and host of The Josh Hammer Show, said:

“This poll exposes the growing disconnect between elite cultural narratives and the convictions of conservative and moderate voters. Despite years of messaging from the media, academia, and corporate America, these voters continue to affirm a fundamental belief: whenever possible, children should be raised by and connected to both their mother and father. At a time when the center-right is often portrayed as fractured, this survey reveals remarkable unity around a principle that should never have become controversial: the rights and needs of children deserve to come before adult desires.”

What the survey found

• 96% of these voters say it is important for a child to be raised with both an involved mother and an involved father.

• 82% of those surveyed agree that no child should be deliberately denied a mother or a father.

• 78% agree that when a child’s needs conflict with an adult’s desires, the child’s needs should come first.

• 66% reject the claim that being raised by same-sex parents is no different for a child than being raised by an adoptive mother and father.

• 63% of those surveyed agree that children are harmed when they lose their mother or father to be raised in a same-sex household.

A conviction beyond the pews

This belief isn’t confined to the religious. Among voters who attend church regularly, 72% agree on legal recognition of a child’s mother and father, but so do 43% of those who never attend church at all. That points to something simpler than religion: a conviction many people hold about what children actually need.

You can find more information and the full methodology at greaterthancampaign.com/poll.

A coalition, not a single voice

Greater Than is a national coalition led by Them Before Us, working to retake marriage on behalf of children. It brings together parents, nonprofits, faith leaders, scholars, lawyers, and advocates around one simple conviction: every child deserves a mother and a father, and a child’s needs come before adult desires.

This campaign would not be possible without the generosity of people like you. Consider supporting the effort to defend children by giving today!

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The coalition includes organizations and voices such as the Family Research Council, Focus on the Family, the Colson Center, the American Family Association, Allie Beth Stuckey, Michael Knowles, and more.

Want to schedule an interview with Katy Faust or a Greater Than coalition member? Email media@greaterthancampaign.com.