PORTLAND, Mae (AP) — Former Sen. Olympia Snowe, who as a senator voted for the feral Defense of Marriage Act, announced Friday that she now supports gay marriage. The Republin known for morate social views said she voted for a referendum that legalized gay marriage Mae, sayg views on the issue are evolvg based largely on iativ at the state level. "Though there rema strongly held views on both sis of the issue, we've seen a signifint change society's attu on this matter, and so is only natural for our reprentative ernment to be rponsive to those chang. That is why I supported the referendum Mae last November permtg marriage between same-sex upl," she told The Associated Prs a statement. Snowe first announced her view on gay marriage a wi-rangg CNN terview. As for the Defense of Marriage Act, which rtricts feral marriage benefs for gay upl, Snowe said that matter is now the U.S. Supreme Court's hands and the urt's cisn will terme Congrs' next step. Snowe's succsor, pennt Sen. Ang Kg, also supports gay marriage. Mae's other senator, Republin San Colls, lls herself "a champn" on equal rights for gays and lbians but don't openly support gay marriage. Colls has twice voted agast amendments to the U.S. Constutn that would have banned same-sex marriage by pre-emptg state laws. Her spokman didn't immediately rpond Friday to a requt of how she voted on the November gay marriage referendum Mae.
Contents:
- FOC OF GAY-MARRIAGE FIGHT IS MAE
- MAE FAC HISTORIC CHOICE ON GAY MARRIAGE
- MAE VOT 'NO' ON GAY MARRIAGE
- MARYLAND, MAE, WASHGTON APPROVE GAY MARRIAGE
- MAE GETS ENOUGH SUPPORT FOR GAY MARRIAGE REFERENDUM
- MAE GAY MARRIAGE REFERENDUM: RULTS, UPDAT
- MAE GAY MARRIAGE LAW REPEALED
- GAY MARRIAGE SUPPORTERSAIMG FOR 2012 REFERENDUM
- GAY MARRIAGE SUPPORTERS PLAN REFERENDUM MAE
- FORMER SEN. SNOWE OF MAE SUPPORTS GAY MARRIAGE
FOC OF GAY-MARRIAGE FIGHT IS MAE
In Portland, the mood was ftive, as the cy clerk’s office opened at midnight to issue marriage licens to gay upl as soon as was legal. * maine gay marriage referendum *
Instead, seems the strong sire of gay and lbian upl to be married, rather than clared domtic partners, shows the value and importance of marriage. Jt as the state of Mae would not ny the equal rights and protectns of the law to s other cizens, should not ny them to gay people who wish to build stable fai.
MAE FAC HISTORIC CHOICE ON GAY MARRIAGE
The latt battle the fight over gay marriage is takg place today Mae, where voters are cidg whether a state law that would allow same-sex upl to marry should stand. * maine gay marriage referendum *
If Maers vote to keep the law on the books and reject repeal, will be the first victory at the ballot box for gay marriage. We do not believe that any harm n e om allowg gay upl the same fn that heterosexuals have for a life-long mment to another human beg.
MAE VOT 'NO' ON GAY MARRIAGE
Proponents of same-sex marriage Mae have gathered more than enough signatur to ask voters a November referendum to approve gay nuptials jt three years after they banned them. * maine gay marriage referendum *
Marc Mutty of the Y on 1 mpaign argued that Mills' statement is "a shamels polil ploy by supporters of homosexual marriage. ’" Addnally, officials said, "He supports ‘ensurg that mted gay upl have the same rights and rponsibili afford to any married uple this untry. ↑ Kennebec Journal, "Gay-marriage fo cricize AG's opn Y on 1 sists law would e tnal chang, " October 17, 2009.
↑ Mae Public Broadstg Network, "Complat Agast Gay Marriage Repeal Campaign Filed Wh Ethics Commissn, " Augt 26, 2009. Matt McTighe, speakg on behalf of the Gay & Lbian Advot & Defenrs stated, "We believe there's strong support for marriage Mae.
MARYLAND, MAE, WASHGTON APPROVE GAY MARRIAGE
Mae Gay Marriage Referendum: Rults, Updat * maine gay marriage referendum *
Acrdg to a lumn wrten by wrer Bill Cleary, he argued the followg: "Des ago, homosexualy was still wily nsired a taboo subject. So when I joed the partment, I wonred how a brotherhood so tight like that would be acceptg of someone who is gay.
MAE GETS ENOUGH SUPPORT FOR GAY MARRIAGE REFERENDUM
Jubilant gay rights advot lled the rults a historic turng pot, a sign that public opn is shiftg their directn. * maine gay marriage referendum *
Acrdg to the Bidford Journal Tribune: "As the bate ntu Mae, we hope rints will nsir their iends and neighbors who work, raise their children, pay tax and ntribute to this state, but who do not have the right to marry their partners and protect their fai, as so many of are able to do, simply bee they are gay. Mory Lear Ey Ca (D), who supported gay-marriage, stated, “Democrats believe the people of Mae mt ci this qutn.
MAE GAY MARRIAGE REFERENDUM: RULTS, UPDAT
Gay marriage supporters began layg the groundwork Thursday for another referendum on the issue, hopg to build on momentum om New York which last week beme the sixth state to allow same-sex marriage. Crics said the divisive issue was already settled by a statewi vote and that there's no need for another referendum. * maine gay marriage referendum *
↑ QT Salt Lake, "Mae petn gathers signatur to put gay marriage back on the ballot, " December 5, 2011 (ad lk). (AP) — After wag years and seeg marriage rights nearly award and then retracted, gay upl Mae’s largt cy did not have to wa any longer on Saturday. Yet most polls show the two sis neck and neck, suggtg that gay upl here, as California last year, uld lose the right to marry jt six months after they gaed .
MAE GAY MARRIAGE LAW REPEALED
The number of stat where gay marriage is legal will grow by at least two. On Tuday, Mae and Maryland beme the first stat to approve same sex marriage by popular referendum. It brgs the number of stat where such unns are allowed to eight. In the state of Washgton, the vote on a siar measure is still too close to ll. In Mnota, voters turned down an amendment to the state nstutn that would have banned gay marriage. * maine gay marriage referendum *
Still reelg om last year’s feat California, gay-rights advot say a feat here uld further a perceptn that only judg and policians embrace same-sex Mae’s law is upheld, however, would be the movement’s first victory at the ballot box; voters about 30 stat have banned same-sex marriage.
GAY MARRIAGE SUPPORTERSAIMG FOR 2012 REFERENDUM
Blow to gay rights mpaigners as north-eastern US state, seen as liberal towards same-genr unns, says no at ballot box * maine gay marriage referendum *
Dilger for The New York TimConnecticut, Iowa, Massachetts and Vermont allow gay upl to marry, but urts and legislatur, not voters, ma possible. That strategy proved effective California, and even after Mae’s attorney general announced this month that the state would not require same-sex marriage to be tght, opponents have ntued raisg the of their televisn advertisements warns that Massachetts, where same-sex marriage has been legal sce 2003, some teachers answer “thoroughly and explicly” when stunts ask about gay sex.
"The stak are very high Mae, no qutn about , " said Frank Schubert, who was hired by gay-marriage opponents Mae as their top strategist after he ordated the Proposn 8 mpaign last year California that repealed urt-orred gay marriage five other stat have legalized same-sex marriage, cludg four of Mae's New England neighbors, none has done wh the affirmatn of a popular vote. Larry Bliss, an openly gay Democrat who moved many lleagu wh personal stori of raisg a fay as half of a same-sex uple.
GAY MARRIAGE SUPPORTERS PLAN REFERENDUM MAE
The first gay and lbian upl to wed unr Mae's new same-sex marriage law exchanged vows early on Saturday a seri of spare but joyo civil ceremoni held shortly after midnight. * maine gay marriage referendum *
"Illumatg and rpectfulWhen the marriage bill was troduced, Baldacci argued that gay upl uld get need legal rights through civil unns, but his views evolved. Yet the No on One mpaign — which supports gay marriage — is welg volunteers om afar, and both sis are expected to report substantial out-of-state fancial ntributns when figur are released next on One's supporters clu the Human Rights Campaign and other natnal gay-rights groups.
FORMER SEN. SNOWE OF MAE SUPPORTS GAY MARRIAGE
Among other claims, the ads assert that "homosexual marriage" will be tght Mae public schools if Qutn One los. "What Frank Schubert is known for dog is g li to try to sre people, " said Geoff Kors, executive director of Equaly California, who hop a victory for his gay-rights alli Mae will bolster efforts to get another referendum on same-sex marriage California. The No on One lear is Jse Connolly, 31, who ran Baldacci's re-electn mpaign 2006 and whose father, while a legislator 1974, led the first attempt to pass a state law protectg gays om for Marriage's top lears are a generatn olr, both wh church backgrounds.
'Major ncerns'Among the most fervent mpaigners for gay marriage — workg the phon, nvassg face-to-face — are same-sex upl yearng for the right to Bishop, 62, and Steve Ryan, 56, who both work for a Portland-area low-e hog program, have been partners for 34 years and never before have vted so much time and money — more than $12, 000 so far — a polil mpaign. "Hop are so high the gay and lbian muny that will be vastatg if they mpaign seems so close, said Universy of Mae polil scientist Mark Brewer, that he wouldn't even gus at the oute. 4, 2009— -- In Mae, a referendum that would have allowedsame-sex upl to marry was voted feat is a setback for a gay-rights movement which has found New England most receptive to same-sex marriage recent measure was passed by the Mae legislature and signed by Democratic Gov.
New York and the District of Columbia regnize same-sex marriag performed other stat but do not grant gay marriage opponents had succeed Mae, would have marked the first time voters overturned a gay-marriage law enacted by a legislature.