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Iowa Democrats defeat attempt to force gay marriage vote

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By Charlotte Eby | Wednesday, March 5, 2008 12:17 AM CST | () comments

DES MOINES — An attempt by Republicans in the Iowa House to force a vote on a constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriage failed Tuesday.

House Minority Leader Christopher Rants, R-Sioux City, sought a vote on the measure, which has failed to gain approval in a House committee this year.

Rants tried a procedural vote that would have moved the measure, House Joint Resolution 8, out of committee and before the full House for a possible debate.

Rants’ maneuver failed on a 46-50 vote, with majority Democrats defeating it.

Rants said he was disappointed some Democrats, seven by his count, who have supported a constitutional amendment banning gay marriage in the past did not vote along with him this time.

“If those seven had voted with us, it would have passed, but I guess they will have to explain to their constituents why they flip-flopped on this issue,”

Rants said.

Because the vote was a procedural vote, no debate was allowed, although the rhetoric surrounding the gay marriage issue has grown more heated in recent weeks at the Statehouse.

House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy, D-Des Moines, said Democrats felt the issue should be settled in the courts before the Iowa Legislature takes any action.

“It was primarily done to generate press, which I think it certainly served that purpose,” McCarthy said after the vote.

The issue currently is before the Iowa Supreme Court.

“I know the vast majority of our caucus supports marriage between a man and a woman,” McCarthy said. “They voted for that last spring, but they believe that the judicial process should be allowed to come to finality before you alter the

Constitution.”

McCarthy expects the issue will be used against some Democrats up for re-election this year.

The move is on in the Iowa Senate as well to push the issue to the forefront.

Senate Republicans are circulating a petition that would force a debate on the marriage amendment. If 26 senators sign, the bill would go straight to the floor for debate, bypassing the requirement that it pass a

committee.

“There is push out there to allow people to have that vote,” Senate Minority Leader Ron Wieck, R-Sioux City, said.

Democrats have a 30-20 majority in the Senate.

(Dan Gearino contributed to this story.)

Charlotte Eby can be contacted at

(515) 243-0138 or chareby@aol.com.

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