Democrats Quiet On Marriage Equality In Key Iowa Senate Election

The special election for Iowa’s state Senate seat in District 18 may swing control of the senate to the Republicans and potentially endanger same-sex marriage in the state. Until now, Iowa Senate Majority Leader Michael Gronstal (D) has blocked attempts by the legislature to advance a constitutional ban on same-sex marriage, saying, “I’m not going to put discrimination into the state’s constitution.” But some conservatives — particularly national organizations — are seizing on the election as an opportunity to shift power and prevent gay and lesbian couples from marrying.

Cindy Golding, the Republican candidate for District 18, has said she would support holding a popular vote on marriage equality, while her Democratic challenger, former news anchor Liz Mathis, has thus far avoided the issue:

“In the 400-plus calls that I’ve made to the constituents in District 18, not one person, not one, has asked me what my stance is on gay marriage,” Mathis says, “I think this is a lot of media hype over what is important to people in District 18. She says the things she’s hearing about are business growth, better jobs, and education.

When pressed, the Democrat candidate Mathis limits her comments to supporting the Iowa Supreme Court’s decision declaring Iowa’s law banning same sex marriage as unconstitutional. Republican candidate Golding says the entire subject is limiting Iowa.

Goldring says her personal stance is not the issue. “I believe the issue is that the people of Iowa need to vote on it and we need to put the issue to rest, because it is a very divisive issue and we have so many issues in this state that are much more important for our economy, for the families, for business, that this issue needs to be put to rest,” Golding says. She says we need to vote on it and get on with business.

A poll released Friday by Public Policy Polling found that “50 percent of Iowans would vote for a ban on same-sex marriage while 43 percent would vote against it. Though voters seem to reject same-sex marriage, 67 percent support equal rights for same-sex couples either through marriage (37 percent) or civil unions (30 percent). Only 29 percent said same-sex couples should have no legal recognition.” A survey conducted in August had found that “46 percent think marriage equality should be legal, while 45 percent would outlaw it. “