A Washington Post-ABC News poll shows that seventy-five percent of Americans back repeal of the ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’ policy which prevents gay men and lesbians from serving openly in the military. This echoes a 2009 poll released by the Washington Post and one released by Gallup, which showed sixty-nine percent of Americans supported repeal.

The support comes as the Pentagon, led by Defense Secretary Robert Gates and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Mike Mullen, both of whom were originally appointed by President George W. Bush, have been advocating for study and repeal of the policy.  At a hearing before the United States Senate Committee on Armed Services Committee, Gates announced that he was appointing General Carter Ham, commander of Army forces in Europe, and  Jeh Johnson, the Pentagon’s general counsel, to study a possible repeal and logistics for implementation. Johnson and Ham have indicated that they would deliver its first recommendations by mid-March.

The percentage of Americans who say they support gays openly serving is the same as a Post-ABC News poll found in July 2008; both are far above the 44 percent who said so in May 1993. In the new poll, majorities across party lines favor such a policy, with support among Democrats (82 percent) and independents (77 percent) higher than among Republicans (64 percent).

The poll also reveals several sharp demographic divides. Men (65 percent) and seniors (69 percent) are far less likely than are women (84 percent) and young adults (81 percent under age 30) to say that gays should be allowed to serve if they have disclosed their sexual orientation. Knowing a gay person makes a big difference: Among those who say they have a gay friend or family member, 81 percent support allowing gay people to serve openly, compared with 66 percent who say they do not know someone who is gay.

With significant support among Republicans and self-identified conservatives, opportunities to repeal the legislation before the end of the calendar year remain strong.