What Does Maine Means for Cali?

Question 1, a repeal of the New England state’s law allowing same-sex marriage, passed with 52.7 percent of voters in favor; nearly parallel to the 52 percent of California’s voters last year that passed Proposition 8, the Constitutional amendment banning gay marriage in the Golden State.

Maine’s vote resonates in California, where gay rights activists are divided whether to push for a repeal of the same-sex marriage ban in 2010, or wait until 2012, and many wonder what Maine’s rejection of same-sex marriage means for California’s movement.

“Maine was supposed to be the way the gay marriage movement overcame the loss in California with Proposition 8,” said Brian Brown, the executive director of the National Organization for Marriage in California, the largest donor to the ProtectMarriage.com-Yes on 8 campaign, and an executive committee member for Stand for Marriage Maine, the largest donor to the Yes on 1 campaign. “Everything was in their favor … (and) they still lost. The people of Maine do not support same-sex marriage, just as the people in 31 states in this country do not support same-sex marriage. In 31 states where same-sex marriage has been put to a vote, supporters of traditional marriage have won.

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