Washington State Has Enough Votes To Pass Gay Marriage
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| Clockwise from top left: Gov. Christine Gregoire, Mary Margaret Haugan, Steve Litzow, Cheryl Pflug |
Via The Advocate:
Washington now has enough votes to pass a marriage equality bill in the state Senate, following a state senator’s announcement of her support today after hours of public hearings regarding the measure.
Mary Margaret Haugen became the 25th member of the state senate, and the last vote needed to pass the bill, after scores of same-sex marriage supporters told their stories in the state capital for more than two hours.
The bill, first brought up by Washington governor Christine Gregoire, is expected to easily pass in the House but was one vote short of passage in the Senate until Haugen announced her support this afternoon.
Haugen, a Democrat, cited her "very strong Christian beliefs" as part of the reason she supports marriage equality.
"Only one being in this world is omniscient, and it's not me," she said in a statement. "Personally I have always said when I accepted the Lord, I became more tolerant of others. I stopped judging people and try to live by the Golden Rule. This is part of my decision. I do not believe it is my role to judge others, regardless of my personal beliefs."
"Only one being in this world is omniscient, and it's not me," she said in a statement. "Personally I have always said when I accepted the Lord, I became more tolerant of others. I stopped judging people and try to live by the Golden Rule. This is part of my decision. I do not believe it is my role to judge others, regardless of my personal beliefs."
Openly gay senator Ed Murray, a driving force behind the bill, said he hopes the bill will continue to cross partisan lines and attract the other four remaining members of the senate who have yet to announce their opinion regarding the measure. Of the undecideds, two are Republicans and two are Democrats. And there is a solid group of 20 “no” voters (including two Democrats).
Lacey All, chair for Washington United for Marriage, said the senator's decision was the result of those stories told by LGBT Washingtonians.
“We’ve known for a long time that our stories are powerful, and sharing those stories can change hearts and minds," All said in a statement cheering the decision. "Hundreds of constituents shared their stories of love, commitment and family with Sen. Haugen, and in doing so convinced her that she was doing the right thing for Washington.”
Steve Litzow was the first Republican in the Senate to endorse Gregoire’s proposal and has faced threats from antigay groups like the National Organization for Marriage that pledge to campaign against any Republican who supports the bill.
“It’s really consistent with the fundamental tenets of individual freedom and personal responsibility,” he said in an interview with The Advocate. “It’s all about people getting to live the life they want to live without the government getting involved. It’s a core principle of the type of Republican I am.”
Less than a week later, fellow Republican senator Cheryl Pflug joined Litzow, and Democrat Jim Kastama announced his support last week, putting the Senate within one vote of passing marriage equality. Now Haugen has pledged to deliver that final vote. Washington is poised to become the seventh state in the country, plus the District of Columbia, to allow same-sex marriage.
Lacey All, chair for Washington United for Marriage, said the senator's decision was the result of those stories told by LGBT Washingtonians.
“We’ve known for a long time that our stories are powerful, and sharing those stories can change hearts and minds," All said in a statement cheering the decision. "Hundreds of constituents shared their stories of love, commitment and family with Sen. Haugen, and in doing so convinced her that she was doing the right thing for Washington.”
Steve Litzow was the first Republican in the Senate to endorse Gregoire’s proposal and has faced threats from antigay groups like the National Organization for Marriage that pledge to campaign against any Republican who supports the bill.
“It’s really consistent with the fundamental tenets of individual freedom and personal responsibility,” he said in an interview with The Advocate. “It’s all about people getting to live the life they want to live without the government getting involved. It’s a core principle of the type of Republican I am.”
Less than a week later, fellow Republican senator Cheryl Pflug joined Litzow, and Democrat Jim Kastama announced his support last week, putting the Senate within one vote of passing marriage equality. Now Haugen has pledged to deliver that final vote. Washington is poised to become the seventh state in the country, plus the District of Columbia, to allow same-sex marriage.
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