New York Gay marriage Vote Alters political battle lines - Wall Street Journal

Decision of New York to allow same-sex marriages paves the way for the battles in one half-dozen other States and could propel the rights of homosexuals as a matter of policy corner in the 2012 elections.

The new battle lines were already fixed as States such as Minnesota willing to take on the issue of same-sex marriage in a future close and that the law in New York a fresh pressure on President Barack Obama to express a clear position on the subject.

Agency France-Press/Getty Images riders take part in the New York City's gay pride parade Sunday.

Gay rights advocates, who celebrated Sunday in parades across the country, said the relocation of New York - a bill authorizing same-sex marriage which was defended by the Democratic Governor Andrew Cuomo and passed by a Republican State Senate Friday, marked a turning point in the debate political and legal nearly 20 years on the definition of marriage. "It's a huge victory brings a giant impetus for the movement to end the marriage to the United States discrimination," said Evan Wolfson, Chairman of the group to Marry free national gay rights.

After the gay pride parade Sunday in New York, Mr. Cuomo said: "I think that you will see this message now resonate across the country." If New York can do, it's OK for every other place to do so. »

Opponents said they would go on the attack against the Republicans who support same-sex marriage. Brian Brown, President of the national organization for marriage, said New York move was a "disaster for the Republican party", and that his group planned to spend $ 2 million over the next 18 months to defeat legislators who supported it.

But these GOP lawmakers also received promises of support from Wall Street, including hedge fund manager Cliff Asness of AQR Capital Management. The political action Committee of the Gill Action Foundation, launched by Tim Gill, has promised to help.

A group of financial executives including Paul Singer, Chief based in New York, Elliott Associates, organized efforts to support gay marriage for more than a year.

In September, Mr. Singer and Ken Mehlman, a partner and a global head of public affairs at Kohlberg Kravis Roberts and former Chairman of the Republican National Committee, were among the organizers of a staff to push the marriage homosexual law. Daniel Loeb, head of New York hedge-fund firm third Point LLC, joined forces with MM.. Singer and Mehlman, telling colleagues and others that he considers a civil rights issue, someone close to him said. Hedge fund investors to thank Mr. Loeb for the safeguard measure, said the person. MM.. Singer and Loeb themselves declined to comment through spokesman.

Relocation of New York may have repercussions in other States. Minnesota prohibits same-sex marriage, and voters there will consider a constitutional amendment next year which would add a heterosexual definition of marriage to the constitution. Supporters of the Bill and the leading gay rights are are committed to at least 4.7 million dollars for their campaigns.

In North Carolina, home of the 2012 Democratic National Convention, the State is weighing whether voters should take a constitutional ban on same-sex marriage. Maryland and Rhode Island legislators are considering bills pro-gay marriage of their own.

The leaders of Gay-rights in Oregon and California, where Proposition 8 in 2008 bans same-sex marriages, are also weighing whether to bring initiatives of pro-gay marriage for the ballot next year.

"It is crucial that we continue to fight all also difficult, even stronger, in Maryland and elsewhere, said Robert Broadus, head to protect marriage Maryland, who was in New York the week last for an attempt to defeat the vote.".

President Obama, who supports civil unions, said his position on same-sex marriage is "evolution". A staff of Manhattan with gay and lesbian Thursday donors, Mr. Obama supports the process that is New York. In so doing, it upset some democratic supporters, who said marriage leaving movements of States the burden that they think should be a federal question.

"The progressive democratic community seeks to Andrew Cuomo and seeing Bobby Kennedy and the President is not very politically astute in comparison, said Richard Socarides, who advised President Bill Clinton on the gay rights issues." The "people remember that when it is a candidate for the Presidency, he said,"I want to change the country."" Now it says homosexuals, "If you want to change, turn to your state legislature." ''

Mr. Obama "long believed that same-sex couples deserve the same rights and legal safeguards as straight couples," said the spokesman for the Obama Shin Inouye. "States should determine themselves how best to defend the rights of their citizens." The New York process worked just as it should. »

Moving to New York more than doubled, 35 million inhabitants, the number of Americans who live in States that same-sex marriage. Five other States, in addition to the District of Columbia, also allow same-sex marriages.

A may Gallup poll, echoing a March from Washington Post-ABC News survey, 53% of Americans believe same-sex marriage should be recognized as valid, with the same rights as heterosexual marriages. The survey has a sampling error of 4%, only 44% for homosexual marriage support last year.

Opponents point to a survey of Alliance Defense Fund may claiming a 2.53% margin of error revealed that 62% of Americans believe marriage should be defined "only as" a union between a man and a woman.

-Jenny Strasburg, Andrew Grossman and Steve Eder contributed to this article.

Write to Geoffrey a. Fowler at geoffrey.fowler@wsj.com