Poll: Fifty percent of Americans believe same-sex marriage is a protected right under the Constitution

According to a new Washington Post/ABC News poll, 50% of Americans believe that same-sex marriage is protected by the US Constitution under the Equal Protection clause. Forty-three percent do not agree.

It is the Equal Protection clause that has been cited in case after case, in state after state, as the basis for successful passage of same-sex marriage rights.

To the broader point of support for marriage equality in general, 56% of Americans support the freedom to marry while 38% oppose.

The Washington Post has an interactive map which shows the current status of same-sex marriage state by state.