This Is Why I Support Candidates And NOT The DNC

Once again, from Iowa, we have news on the marriage equality battle.

Now, it seems that four Democratic state senators--Dennis Black, Keith Kreiman, Rich Olive and Joe Seng--have broken with their party and joined with another Democrat, Tom Hannock, to sign a Republican petition to force a vote on same-sex marriage. 

The good news is that last week was the deadline for bills to clear committee in order to stay eligible for consideration this year, so the ban on marriage equality is officially dead.

Also last week, the Republicans attempted to use a procedural move, called a discharge petition, to pull Senate Joint Resolution 2001 out of committee and put it before the full Senate for debate and a vote. Senate Joint Resolution 2001 would begin the process of amending the Iowa constitution to ban same-sex marriage. Naturally, all Senate Republicans, and Tom Hannock, signed the petition. A similar attempt was made in the House, but it also failed to find enough votes to bring a gay marriage ban up for a vote.

With the addition of party turncoats, Black, Kreiman, Olive and Seng, it brings the total to 23 votes, just three shy of the majority needed to force a vote on a constitutional ban on gay marriage; twenty-eight Democratic Senators refused to sign on.

Senate Majority Leader, Democrat Mike Gronstal, has repeatedly vowed to block any effort to bring a ban on same-sex marriage up for discussion, telling The Iowa Independent before the legislative session began that he would “block that at every opportunity. There will be no vote on the constitutional amendment.”

Gronstal deserves our dollars and our support, for, as an elected official, he is not only doing the right thing to guarantee that all citizens of Iowa are equal under the law, but he is listening to the people of Iowa. A recently conducted Des Moines Register Poll found 62 percent of Iowans felt lawmakers have more important things to worry about than same-sex marriage.

So, to the Republicans of Iowa: listen to your people, the ones who elected you to office, and the ones who cane remove you from same. And to those five Democrats who now side with discrimination, be ready to fight to keep your seats.

Tell the turncoats how you feel:

Dennis Dlack

Senate Switchboard: 515-281-3371 Mailing address:

State Senator Dennis Black

Iowa Statehouse

Des Moines, IA 50319 E-mail:Dennis.Black@legis.state.ia.us Phone: 515-975-8608 Mailing address:

State Senator Dennis Black

Box 1271

Newton, IA 50208 E-mail:dblack@black4senate.com

Keith Kreiman

E-mail: keith.kreiman@legis.state.ia.us

Home Address:

406 Parkview Dr.,

Bloomfield, IA, 52537

Home Telephone: 641-664-2811

Rich Olive

E-mail: rich.olive@legis.state.ia.us

Home Address:

PO Box 273,

Story City, IA, 50248

Home Telephone: 515-733-2427

Joe Seng

Senate Switchboard: 515-281-3371 Mailing address:

State Senator Joe Seng

Iowa Statehouse

Des Moines, IA 50319 E-mail:Joe.Seng@legis.state.ia.us Phone: (563) 391-1627 Mailing address:

State Senator Joe Seng

4804 NW Blvd

Davenport, IA 52806 E-mail:josephmseng@gmail.com

And while you're at it, tell Mike Gronstal you appreciate the work he's doing for the LGBT community and equality in Iowa.

Mike Gronstal

E-mail: mike.gronstal@legis.state.ia.us

Home Address:

220 Bennett Ave,

Council Bluffs, IA, 51503

Home Telephone: 712-328-2808 Business Telephone: 515-281-4610

Business Fax: 515-281-3361