Gay marriage backers in Maryland are
looking for four more votes in the Senate to approve a gay marriage
bill.
Twenty senators have publicly voiced
their support for a bill that would make Maryland the sixth state to
extend the right to marry to gay and lesbian couples.
On Thursday, Republican State Senator
Allan Kittleman announced he would vote in favor of the bill and drop
his plan to introduce a competing measure that would limit government
recognition of gay and lesbian couples to civil unions. The Senate's
GOP caucus has voted to take an official position against the
measure. Such a position requires the backing of a majority of
members. Kittleman
stepped down of his own accord as Senate minority leader last month
in part over his dissenting opinion on marriage equality.
The measure appears to be headed for an
easy victory in the House.
Six Democratic senators remain
undecided, according to a Washington Post survey. They are
Senators John C. Astle, Joan Carter Conway, Ulysses Currie, Edward J.
Kasemeyer, Katherine A. Klausmeier and James C. Rosapepe.
On
Thursday, Maryland Lt. Gov. Anthony G. Brown came out in support of
the measure.