It seems there is a correlation between poverty and singleness (a higher percentage of those in poverty are unmarried than those out of poverty). Of course, that says nothing about causality (does not being married cause poverty? does being poor discourage marriage? is there some other cause of both?), and the fact that marriage rates have declining steadily without a steady increase in the poverty rate indicates it's a weak argument at best.
But what's the GOP to do?
'There are lots of ways to alleviate poverty from the top down. Most involve government investment. One involves moralistic pearl-clutching. Guess which one conservatives prefer.'
Blaming Poverty on Single Parents Is Win-Win for Republicans, Evidence Be Damned
The new-found GOP interest in addressing poverty has seized upon an old argument: more marriage. It’s an appealing argument for conservatives, blending social values with a bit of anti-government do-it-yourself-ism. But that doesn’t mean it would work.