Romney’s the favorite to win Iowa so far. Reacting swiftly to the court decision striking down Iowa’s Defense of Marriage Act, and taking on the judges with both barrels, isn’t likely to hurt him…
“The ruling in Iowa today is another example of an activist court and unelected judges trying to redefine marriage and disregard the will of the people as expressed through Iowa’s Defense of Marriage Act. This once again highlights the need for a Federal Marriage Amendment to protect the traditional definition of marriage as between one man and one woman.”
This should be an easy one for Republicans, even those who worry about being seen as anti-gay, as they can argue, justifiably, that if the definition of marriage is going to be changed, it ought to come from legislators accountable to the state’s voters, not a judge. If a legislature passes a law recognizing gay marriage, the public implicitly either reaffirms or rejects that decision the next time an election is held. When a judge decides that hundreds of years of traditional definition of marriage is somehow an egregious violation of the state constitution, the argument is taken out of the hands of the public.
UPDATE: John McCain’s reaction:
“Today was a loss for the traditional family, and I am disappointed that a judge would thwart the will of the people. I have always supported the traditional definition of marriage as between one man and one woman. The ruling of the court only reinforces my belief that we must have a President who is committed to appointing strict constructionists to the bench.”