Washington Gop Prepares For Battle

Earlier this year, Republicans who failed in an effort to pass a law banning same-sex marriages in Washington predicted that a Hawaii judge would approve such unions in the island state.

They warned of a scenario in which gays and lesbians would dash to Hawaii to get married and then return to Washington demanding benefits enjoyed by heterosexual couples, such as health benefits and inheritance rights.

The first part of their prediction came true this week when a judge ruled that same-sex marriages are legal in Hawaii. The landmark ruling, which will be appealed, provides fresh fuel for Washington leaders who are gearing up for another fight in Olympia this winter.

This time, the outcome is not so certain.

Led by Republicans, the Washington House voted by a 2-to-1 margin in February to ban same-sex marriages. The measure later was killed by the Senate’s Democratic leaders without a vote.

But Republicans won control of the Senate following the November elections, giving them a majority in both houses and a much stronger chance of approving the ban.

“I think it will come up and I think it will pass,” state Sen. Dan McDonald, a Bellevue Republican and the newly appointed majority leader of the Senate, told the Seattle Post-Intelligencer.

That would leave Democratic Gov.-elect Gary Locke as the last line of defense for homosexuals.

Locke is an outspoken advocate of gay rights, particularly when it comes to housing and employment. But he frequently hesitated and fidgeted when asked during the campaign about the issue of same-sex marriage, although he eventually said he would sign a bill authorizing marriage between homosexuals.

A spokesman for Locke’s transition team, Bruce Botka, said the governor-elect won’t speculate about a possible veto.