The Minnesota gay marriage showdown

[I spent the winter writing songs about getting better]

This is the sort of thing that makes avoiding schadenfreude just impossible: https://twitter.com/stribrooks/status/332590086602502144

[Gass3268]

Has everyone's favorite crazy female Tea Party Representative from Minnesota weighed in on the vote?

[paulsonj72]

This guy deserves the most accolades:

Independence       DAVE HOLMAN    1305    6.14%    
Republican       SCOTT DUTCHER    9837    46.29%    
Democratic-Farmer-Labor       JAY MCNAMAR    10092    47.49%    
Write-In       WRITE-IN**    19    0.09%

In District 12A:

Yes     14117
 No     7748
 Estimated Blanks     255
 Estimated Total Number of Voters     22120
Estimated Percent of YES*     63.82%

It does take guts as this is a very rural district(happens to be my district) and it goes right up to the MN/SD border. It is fairly large geographically and is split as the R's have the senate seat for the district.

[Jared]

I wish this was my state legalizing marriage equality.

[Oswald Acted Alone, You Kook]

So when are they voting on it?


And on a vaguely related note, what happened to Illinios' gay marriage attempt?

[ilikeverin]

Monday is when the State Senate votes on it.  Dayton should sign it quickly.

[Frodo]

Assuming gay marriage is legalized by the legislature, signed by the governor, and then subsequently put to popular referendum, what is the likelihood that Minnesota voters will uphold gay marriage?  Are there any recent polls on this? 

[Thomas D]

Assuming gay marriage is legalized by the legislature, signed by the governor, and then subsequently put to popular referendum, what is the likelihood that Minnesota voters will uphold gay marriage?  Are there any recent polls on this? 

Laws passed by the Legislature can't be put on the ballot. Please note all the red dots on the right.

http://ballotpedia.org/wiki/index.php/Minnesota

[Ban my account ffs!]

Yeah, Minnesota definitely is weird in that it has one of the strongest populist streaks in the nation, yet does not succumb easily to populist will through direct democracy.

The general political attitude in Minnesota is that change should come through the proper channels.  We go to great lengths to champion the grassroots and citizen participation in government and civil discourse... but under the guise that we need to trust that our civil institutions will "do the right thing".

That's why the sudden flip to the GOP in the legislature in 2010 and subsequent flip back to the DFL took people by surprise.  It had become accepted that Minnesotans strongly preferred divided government.  Now the DFL holds both U.S. senate seats, 5 of the 8 house seats, every statewide constitutional office, and both houses of the legislature.

  And just as the GOP was declaring victory on top of their mountain... they found out rather quickly the mountain was made out of hot air.  The MNGOP nearly became a defunct organization and were even evicted from their HQ (though they never had to move).  Hopefully it means a return of responsible DFL governance of the state after our foray into the wilderness.

[Benj]

Assuming gay marriage is legalized by the legislature, signed by the governor, and then subsequently put to popular referendum, what is the likelihood that Minnesota voters will uphold gay marriage?  Are there any recent polls on this?  

The legislature must propose referendums in Minnesota. So the Republicans would need to take over the legislature again.

So when are they voting on it?


And on a vaguely related note, what happened to Illinios' gay marriage attempt?

Still pending a vote in the Illinois House. The Illinois legislature is slow. They're trying to get yes votes nailed down first. It will be voted on before the end of the legislative session at the end of May, most likely.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/05/10/illinois-gay-marriage-pat_n_3252785.html?utm_hp_ref=chicago - Source says they have 58 yes votes nailed down (need 60)
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/politics/clout/chi-quinn-calls-on-house-to-send-him-gay-marriage-bill-20130509,0,4965924.story - Quinn says they have the votes, House is just being slow

[Holmes]

The votes are probably *there* in Illinois, but many of them are being non-committal. Just like in Minnesota when all the "undecided" Democrats broke towards same-sex marriage, I think something like that would happen in Illinois (although they probably all wouldn't break in the same direction, but most would vote for same-sex marriage).

Quinn is speaking out of his ass, but he's probably right.

[I spent the winter writing songs about getting better]

Very much worth watching: http://www.startribune.com/politics/blogs/206810531.html

[Nhoj]

Senate debating now, live stream again here http://www.startribune.com/politics/207165741.html

[Benj]

Civil unions amendment fails 30-36-1. On to final debate.

The votes are probably *there* in Illinois, but many of them are being non-committal. Just like in Minnesota when all the "undecided" Democrats broke towards same-sex marriage, I think something like that would happen in Illinois (although they probably all wouldn't break in the same direction, but most would vote for same-sex marriage).

Quinn is speaking out of his ass, but he's probably right.

I agree. But they won't hold a vote until they're forced to, i.e., probably on the last day of the legislative session (May 31).

[Gass3268]

Who is this woman talking right now? She's seems like Bachmann lite.

[Benj]

I like the Senator who is giving her whole (pro-gay marriage) speech in Spanish.

[Benj]

Vote is about to happen as soon as Maj. Leader Bakk finishes speaking.

Passes 37-30! Interestingly, that means at least three Democrats voted no (since there was one known Republican yes).

[Holmes]

Wow. This all couldn't be possible if not for the Republican wave of 2010. Thanks, Obama. Sometimes things work out in the end.

[Benj]

Democratic Nos were Koenen, Sparks and Stumpf. Petersen was the only Republican Yes.

[Holmes]

I hope members of the Illinois House are taking note.

[TDAS04]

Way to go, Minnesota!

[Thomas D]

Thank you Minnesota.

[Fritz]

WOO-HOOO!!!!!!!!!!!

[True Federalist (진정한 연방 주의자)]

Who is this woman talking right now? She's seems like Bachmann lite.

Someone more lightweight than Bachmann!?!  That truly is a horrible thought.

[HST1948]

Speaking of Bachmann, apparently she is considering leaving Minnesota over gay marriage.

http://dailycurrant.com/2013/05/13/bachmann-threatens-to-leave-minnesota-over-marriage-equality/

If I were a Minnesotan, I don't know which I'd be happier about as a gay person, gay marriage or the prospect of Bachmann leaving .