The Gay Marriage Battle Grounds

There is a Gay Right firestorm brewing. The Long March is over and the counter offensive is in full swing. In Washington, Maine, Maryland and New Jersey the battle has been joined.

Washington is on the brink of legalizing Gay Marriage with support in both houses of the legislature and the governor’s office. However the opposition is promising a referendum to overturn the legislative action.

In Maine, Equality Maine has put the issue back on the ballot after losing in 2009. If Maine votes for Gay Marriage it would represent an enormous victory. Unfortunately the measure lost by a large margin in 2009.

In Maryland the governor is pushing the legislation and it is working its way through the legislature. The Maryland Attorney General, also a supporter, has warned that if the bill passes, the final battle will most likely be a referendum in November.

In New Jersey the legislature is pressing forward on a bill even though Governor Chris Christie has vowed to veto it. Christie has proposed putting it on the ballot. The latest poll in New Jersey, January 2012 from Quinnipiac University, found support for Gay Marriage at an all time high of 52%-42% so Christie is being very coy and trying not to jeopardize either his approval rating or standing with the Republican Party.

All of this means there could be as many as four Gay Marriage votes in November. Any one of which could become the first election approval of Gay Marriage. If I was a Gay Marriage opponent I would be afraid, I would be very afraid. A victory at the polls could very well break the dam of opposition. Imagine what four victories would do?

As I noted above, in the latest polls, New Jersey indicates in favor by 52%-42%; Maryland indicates in favor by 50%-42%; in Washington a poll indicates that the electorate would uphold the bill by 55%-38% and in Maine supporters claim that 54% are ready to reverse the decision of three years ago.

Still, we all know better than to be overly optimistic. A lot will depend upon how the presidential election goes and how successful the get out the vote campaigns are. The religiously based opposition has tended to have more success getting the faithful to the polls than the Gay Marriage supporters.

But can you imagine four election victories?