Republicans on tomorrow's senate vote on marriage equality: "it could be worse"

These are the glory days for the sons and daughters of the Gopher State.

It's mid-May, and the rhubarb is finally ready (albeit Bluestem's acre was a bit stiff from last night's hard freeze but nothing that a little stewing didn't solved), the walleye gods were good to the governor, and the Minnesota Legislature will not only adjourn on time, but the Senate's going to pass the Dibble freedom to marry bill.

It could be worse.

A couple of Republicans make realistic points about the freedom to marry in In just 2 years, gay marriage makes dramatic turn in Minnesota, Doug Belden and Megan Boldt's article in the Pioneer Press. Belden and Boldt report:

Views on gay marriage are evolving, [Former Minnesota House Speaker Steve] Sviggum said, and "I don't think it's good for Republicans necessarily to stand in the way of the evolution of an issue."

Democrats were out front on the issue. From Obama to the mayors of the Twin Cities, many spoke out in favor of legalizing gay marriage.

Some Republicans are pushing their party to change.

The public affairs firm of Carl Kuhl -- once an aide to former U.S. Sen. Norm Coleman and gubernatorial candidate Tom Emmer, both Republicans -- started working with Minnesotans United for All Families last year to craft their message against the amendment.

Polls and surveys found that about 80 percent of 18- to 29-year-olds supported marriage equality, Kuhl said. The numbers were similar for suburban women regardless of age. And, he said, many of the younger voters aligned with Republicans on other issues but voted DFL because they saw the GOP as the opposition party to same-sex marriage.

"They could not move beyond that to vote for Republicans," Kuhl said. "And if we can't be a more inclusive party, we become irrelevant."

Could be worse. There might not have been a FitzSimmons amendment.

Photo: Bluestem is guessing there'll be more this sort of bipartisan celebration after tomorrow's vote in the senate.

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