A bipartisan coalition of community, faith and business leaders opposing Indiana’s proposed amendment banning same sex marriage is promising a well-funded campaign against lawmakers who support the measure.
The General Assembly approved a constitutional amendment in 2011 banning same-sex marriage. The legislature must pass it again next year. Then it would go to the voters in the 2014 November general election.
The newly-formed Freedom Indiana is vowing to fight its passage.
Veteran Republican campaign manager Megan Robertson will steer Freedom Indiana’s campaign. She says the issue is not about Democrats versus Republicans.
“This issue does not just affect the LGBT community here in Indiana,” Robertson said. “It affects our businesses, our faith institutions, our friends and our neighbors.”
Robertson says even if the amendment passes the legislature and goes before the voters next fall, she anticipates a lot of state and national money supporting the fight against it.
Indiana Family Institute Public Policy Director Ryan McCann says putting the marriage amendment on the ballot will help lawmakers who support it.
“You’ll end up getting a groundswell of folks who maybe don’t normally vote that come out and vote in favor of marriage, especially in a more conservative state like Indiana,” McCann said.
Republican legislative leaders and Governor Mike Pence have already pledged to push the measure next session.
