Yesterday’s bipartisan vote in the Iowa State House hasn’t deterred Senate Majority Leader Mike Gronstal from his decision to be the one man in Iowa stopping a vote on marriage:

The bipartisan vote in the House was “a big step backwards for the constitutional rights of all Iowans,” Gronstal said.

Danny Carroll, spokesman for the Family Leader, formerly known as the Iowa Family Policy Council, takes Gronstal at his word, but hopes it's not the final word on the resolution.

“The House has spoken, and spoken rather convincingly, with a bipartisan vote in favor of letting the people vote,” Carroll said. “That should mean something to the Iowa Senate.”

The effort to undo the April 2009 Iowa Supreme Court decision in Varnum v. Brien that struck down the state ban on same-sex marriage now is in the hands of the Senate Democratic caucus, which has a 26-24 majority, Carroll said.

“They're the ones who chose (Gronstal) for their leader,” he said.
Some Democratic senators have indicated they support the proposed constitutional amendment and have said they will support it if it comes to the floor. Among them are Senate President Jack Kibbie of Emmetsburg, Tom Hancock of Epworth, Dennis Black of Grinnell and Joe Seng of Davenport.

“If there is any way to prevail upon Sen. Gronstal it will have to come from within his caucus,” Carroll said. [Continue reading]