SPRINGFIELD - House Speaker MIke Madigan says the same sex marriage bill is 12 votes short, Springfield Journal Register's Bernie Schoenberg reported via Twitter Wednesday am.
"We'd like to believe it's true," Illinois Family Institute Executive Director David Smith told Illinois Review today, "but it could be a ploy to get us to relax and relent. That's not going to happen, we're going to keep working as if they're only two votes short."
Reports from within the Capitol say the Black pastors in Chicago are having a powerful impact on House members that attend their churches and have faith-based constituencies. Several Chicago lawmakers are now firm "nos" as Downstate Democrats from traditional districts are also solid "nos." Thus far, only one Republican has committed publicly to supporting same sex marriage - State Rep. Ron Sandack from Downers Grove.
St Louis Today's Kevin McDermott asks "Is the gay marriage bill momentum faltering in Illinois?" and reported last week on a church disturbance caused by State Senator Andy Manar's "Yes" vote on same sex marriage. Lawmakers attending churches that teach against same sex marriage are becoming concerned they'll face the same reaction at their local parishes.
SB 10 is one roll call from passage in the Illinois legislature and Governor Pat Quinn has promised to sign it into law if it passes the House. The IL GOP has been in turmoil over the party chairman lobbying on behalf of same sex marriage while the party's platform upholds the definition of marriage as between one woman and one man.
