From The Associated Press

Gay Marriage Backlash Not Felt in Mass.

By Jennifer Peter

November 4, 2004

BOSTON - The national Election Day backlash against gay marriage never reached the state blamed for triggering it: Every Massachusetts lawmaker on the ballot who supported gay rights won another term in the Legislature.

The election outcome, combined with the ascendancy of a new state House speaker who supports gay rights, has left in doubt the fate of a proposed constitutional amendment to ban gay marriage in Massachusetts.

The amendment, which would also legalize civil unions, won first-round approval from lawmakers earlier this year. It must be approved again by the newly elected 200-member Legislature before it can be submitted to the voters for ratification in November 2006.

``I think we are in a far, far better position than ever before,'' said Josh Friedes, spokesman for the Massachusetts Freedom to Marry Coalition. ``The electorate showed that it was incredibly tolerant.''

Massachusetts set off a national firestorm last November, when its high court ruled that the state constitution guarantees gay couples the right to wed. In May, Massachusetts held the nation's first state-sanctioned gay weddings. The move led Massachusetts and other states to introduce measures banning same-sex marriage.

The Massachusetts amendment was passed in March on a 105-92 vote. On Tuesday, all 84 of the incumbents who opposed the amendment and sought re-election were successful.

Three opponents of gay marriage lost their seats during the September primaries, but gay marriage appeared to play a significant role in only one race. Two of the three were replaced by challengers who have vowed to oppose the amendment.

``The vote in Massachusetts is proof positive of what we've said, which is that this is not a career-ending vote,'' said Arline Isaacson, co-leader of the Massachusetts Gay and Lesbian Political Caucus.

Gay-marriage supporters are also encouraged by the selection of Rep. Salvatore DiMasi as House speaker. The Boston Democrat is an ardent supporter of gay rights who replaced a very conservative speaker in late September.

The results Tuesday in Massachusetts contrasted sharply with the across-the-board victories for anti-gay marriage measures that were on the ballot in 11 states Tuesday.

``Our state is certainly totally out of step with the rest of the nation,'' said Kris Mineau, leader of the Massachusetts Family Institute, the organization that has led the fight against gay marriage in Massachusetts. ``Massachusetts residents must be beginning to ask themselves, `How come we're different than the rest of the country?'''

One possible difference is that same-sex marriage has been a reality in Massachusetts for six months, rather than the hypothetical threat feared by citizens in other states. Hundreds of same-sex couples have been wed in Massachusetts without uproar since the spring.