IA: On the Ground in Iowa: Gay Marriage & Politics

Last night, I had the pleasure of serving as moderator of a discussion about the politics of the marriage issue in Iowa. David Redlawsk of Rutgers University and Kathie Obradovich, the Register’s political columnist were interesting panelists. It is difficult for me to summarize what these two bright people said. And, it would be unfair to them for me to try to interpret their remarks. So, I will tell you a few of my impressions and what has stuck with me the day after. The first real test of the marriage issue comes in November 2010. Three Iowa Supreme Court Justices will be on the ballot. A “yes” vote means a Justice will retain his job and a “no” gives the next governor the opportunity to pick a replacement. Since all seven Justices were in agreement on the marriage ruling, opponents of the ruling have three targets. Picking off any or all of the Justices will be a moral victory for their cause. Compared to Maine and some of the other recent marriage “test” states, Iowa’s political landscape is different when it comes to marriage. Because Iowa’s Constitution cannot be changed quickly, the length of the ground war will alter the strategy of both proponents and opponents of same sex marriage. Some would argue the threats and scare tactics that were successful in Maine this year and California last may not be as effective by the time Iowans go to the polls. Full Story from Des Moines Register: http://blogs.desmoinesregister.com/dmr/index.php/2009/12/15/marriage-politics/

Click here for gay marriage resources in Iowa.

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NJ: Voters Now Against Gay Marriage Bill 49% to 46%

New Jersey voters oppose gay marriage legislation by a slim margin, according to a poll released this morning by Quinnipiac. The poll, conducted between Nov. 17 and Nov. 22, found that 49 percent of adult residents are opposed to giving gay couples the right to marry while 46 percent are in favor of it. Six percent were undecided. A large crowd, some with signs, gathers at the New Jersey Statehouse Monday in Trenton in support of proposed legislation legalizing same sex marriage. A poll conducted by Quinnipiac earlier this year had almost the opposite results -- 49 percent of voters supported gay marriage while 43 percent did not. “When we asked about gay marriage in April, it won narrow approval. Now that it seems closer to a legislative vote, it loses narrowly with the public,” said Maurice Carroll, director of the Quinnipiac University Polling Institute. Full Story from NJ.com: http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2009/11/nj_poll_shows_opposition_to_ga.html

Planning to marry your partner? Click here for gay marriage resources.

To subscribe to this blog, use the rss feed on the right, or use the form at right to join our email list. You can also email us at info@purpleunions.com. Or find us on Facebook - just search for Gay Marriage Watch (you'll see our b/w wedding pic overlooking the Ferry Building and Bay Bridge in SF). We're also tweeting daily at http://www.twitter.com/gaymarriagewatc.