Support for gay marriage in the Rhode
Island General Assembly increased on Tuesday with the election of
several new members.
Democrats picked up two seats in the
House and three in the Senate, increasing their majorities in both
chambers.
Lawmakers last year scrapped a marriage
bill for civil unions over the loud objections of many gay rights
activists. House Speaker Gordon Fox said he reversed direction due
in part to the strong objections on the issue by Senate President
Teresa Paiva Weed.
Democrats
on Thursday unanimously elected Weed to another term as
president. House Democrats plan to meet Friday to nominate Fox for a
second term.
Fox said as recently as last weekend
that the House would vote on a marriage bill in January.
Ray Sullivan, campaign director for
Fight Back RI, a political committee set up to support pro-marriage
equality state lawmakers, said the three incoming Democrats in the
Senate support equality. They include Adam Satchell of West Warwick,
Ryan Pearson of Cumberland and Catherine Cool Rumsey of Exeter.
Fight Back supported all three candidates.
The Senate, with Weed at the helm,
remains a major obstacle to passage of marriage equality in Rhode
Island.