Activists for gay marriage buoyed

Victories cheer backers; opponents see results as blip

Four years ago, opponents of gay marriage celebrated a winning streak, having persuaded California voters to end marriage rights for gays. If courts or legislatures bowed to the pro- marriage forces, the opposition figured it could just go to the ballot box to restore marriage bans.

But all that changed Tuesday, when gay marriage supporters succeeded in the four states where the question was on the ballot. Until then, voters had consistently opposed marriage rights for same- sex couples, most recently in May inNorth Carolina.

Voters in Maine, Maryland and Washington approved of legalizing gay marriage. Voters in Minnesota rejected a proposal to add the state’s ban on same- sex marriage to the state constitution.

The opposing sides differed on the significance, with Christian conservatives considering the elections a blip and gay rights activists describing them as a monumental sea change. But the results emboldened activists to target other states for marriage rights and left their opponents reeling.

Gay rights activists singled out President Barack Obama’s change of heart in favor of same- sex marriage as a key ingredient in Tuesday’s victories. Just four years ago, the sponsors of Proposition 8’ s ban on same- sex marriage made robocalls to California homes with a recording of Obama saying he opposed gay nuptials.

“His shift caused a lot of other politicians to feel free to change their positions as well and made it easier for African- American churches to change their positions,” said Jon Davidson, legal director for Lambda Legal, a gay rights group.

Gay rights activists said Wednesday that they would focus next on winning marriage rights in the federal courts and in state legislatures, which could include states such as Rhode Island, Delaware, Hawaii and Illinois.

“When you have momentum on your side, it’s the time to double down,” said Chad Griffin, a gay activist who launched the legal fight against Proposition 8.

Gay rights supporters spent about $ 32.7 million in Tuesday’s races, compared with $ 11.3 million by Christian conservatives. Four years ago, the spending on Prop. 8 was roughly equal. Activists said the Mormon church largely stayed out of the races this time, letting the Catholic Church carry the burden.

Prop. 8 is nowbefore the U. S. Supreme Court, which is considering whether to review a federal appeals court decision that overturned the 2008 ballot initiative. Supporters of samesex marriage also enlisted the backing of churches and the African- American community, which in the past tended to oppose gay marriage.

Activists changed their message from four years ago. Instead of asking voters for equal rights, they emphasized that gays, like heterosexuals, wanted to formalize their commitmentand protect their children.

Opponents of same- sex marriage blamed their defeats on the Democratic nature of the states voting Tuesday and the lopsided spending in favor of marriage rights.

“The other side is now going to try to pass more marriage laws, and we will have to work twice as hard,” said Brian Brown, president of the National Organization forMarriage.

Frank Schubert, whoran the campaign against gay marriage in all four states, downplayed the results as coming from “very liberal, deeply blue” states and insisted the issue is hotly contested nationwide.

“The American people continue to view marriage as a union between one man and one woman,” Schubert said.