The Senate has voted on the Gay Marriage Amendment:
The Senate on Wednesday rejected a constitutional amendment to ban gay marriage, but supporters said new votes for the measure represent progress that gives conservative Republicans reason to vote on Election Day.
The 49-48 vote fell 11 short of the 60 required to send the matter for an up-or-down tally by the full Senate. The amendment’s failure was no surprise, but supporters said the vote reflected growing support among senators and Americans.
“We’re building votes,” said Sen. David Vitter, R-La., who is among supporters of the ban who were not in the Senate when the amendment was last voted on in 2004. “That’s often what’s required over several years to get there, particularly to a two-thirds vote.”
From what I can see- this is as close as they are ever going to get with this amendment. There is no popular groundswell for this ban, it is not a priority, and I do not see the Republican majority increasing in November. In fact, election-year antics like this might cost them a few seats in the Senate:
Though some Republican candidates may relish the Senate’s current concentration on same-sex marriage and other ideologically charged topics, Senator Lincoln Chafee of Rhode Island is not among them.
Senator Wayne Allard, sponsor of an amendment to forbid same-sex marriage, spoke to followers Tuesday.
“It may stir up my primary voters a little bit against me,” said Mr. Chafee, a centrist Republican up for re-election. He opposes the push for a constitutional amendment to prohibit same-sex marriage and is under intense pressure to back a proposed amendment that would forbid flag burning. “I’m collateral damage.”Other Republicans, including some conservatives, say Mr. Chafee may not be the only potential victim of what they see as a misguided effort to appeal to social conservatives by staging votes intended primarily to make a point about the party’s values. They say that voters are more concerned about the economy, health care and immigration, and that replaying the marriage debate in particular could do as much damage as good as Republicans fight to retain control of Congress.
The hardliners in the party seem to be under the impression that someone to the right of Rick Santorum can win in every Senate race- they just have to stand up to the lib’rul media and stick true to their ‘principles,’ as well as throw in a few election year wedge issues like this Gay Marriage nonsense. And when we lose control of the Senate, it will be those same hardliners, not missing a beat, blaming everyone but themselves.