Made in Iowa: Will Same-Sex Marriage Survive?

Same-sex marriage in Iowa has had a hair-raising two-and-a-half-year run, and it could end if Iowa’s Democrats lose control of the Senate in the next round of elections.

According to The Daily Iowan, the number of Democrats (who had control of the Senate when same-sex marriage was made legal in 2009) dropped from 27-22 to 26-24 following the November 2010 elections. You should also remember in that same year, several traditional family organizations—including anti-gay The Family Leader—helped unseat three Iowa Supreme Court justices after they ruled in favor of full marriage equality rights.

And now, if Republican Cindy Golding can secure the Senate seat left empty by Sen. Swati Dandekar (D-Marion, who announced her resignation in September), Iowa certainly has a chance of seeing a Constitutional amendment against same-sex marriage passed through the Senate.

The Daily Iowan reports: The open seat in District 18 — which is almost evenly split between registered Republicans and Democrats — is going to go to either Democrat Liz Mathis or Republican Cindy Golding.

Don McDowell, a Golding spokesman, would not specify whether the candidate was for or against gay marriage but did say she wants Iowans to have a voice on the matter.

"I think we saw last November Iowans were very frustrated they hadn't had a chance to weigh in," he said, referring to the ousting of three Iowa Supreme Court justices. "[Golding] believes fundamentally Iowans should be the final arbiters; she would vote to give Iowans a chance to have a say."

In February, the Iowa House passed House Joint Resolution 6, 62-37, a Constitutional amendment to overturn the court's decision on same-sex marriage. The bill would need to pass through two joint sessions of the Legislature before being placed on the ballot.

Read the full article here (Via Towleroad). And support LGBT rights with One Iowa here.