The Cedar Valley's Courier:

The leader of the Democrat-controlled Iowa Senate vows to continue to block any attempts to ban same-sex marriage.

Sen. Mike Gronstal said this week that he will not allow a vote on an amendment to the constitution that would ban gay marriage.

"I'm not going to be a part of putting discrimination into the state's constitution," he said.

Gronstal has stuck to his guns even as opponents of same sex marriage have singled him out as a target of attacks. Bob Vander Plaats, leader of The Family Leader, has previously said Gronstal will be a prime target for defeat in the 2012 election.

Vander Plaats was in Cedar Falls earlier this week to observe the caucuses and speak out for Rick Santorum.

He was joined by Brian Brown, president of the National Organization for Marriage, which helped fund an effort in 2010 that resulted in removal of three Iowa Supreme Court justices who made gay marriage possible in the state.

Brown expects Iowans will pressure Gronstal to allow a vote.

"We've won in every state where we've had a direct referendum," he said. "All we're asking for is the people of Iowa have the same chance the public in 31 other states have had to have direct vote on this."