The Gazette:

From a Democratic perspective, the Iowa Senate majority is preventing Republican action on a host of social issues ranging from abortion to same-sex marriage.

The GOP-controlled House earlier this year passed a resolution to put a constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriage on the ballot. Although it appears there may be enough votes in the Senate to pass the resolution, Gronstal has promised to block any action. That would be harder to do i[f] Golding wins and he loses his 26-24 majority.

One Iowa’s Price worries some groups will attempt to make the race about same-sex marriage.

... “There has been a clamoring across the state to just have a voice,” Golding said. “And I think, you know, whichever way it goes, the people ought to decide.”

Seattle-based gay rights organizer Joe Mirabella recently blogged at the Huffington Post that “rarely is so much at stake for a local election.”