Tuesday could be a game changer for gay
and lesbian couples who wish to tie the knot in Colorado.
Despite the fact that a majority of
Coloradans (68%) support legal recognition of the relationships of
gay couples, a civil unions law approved twice in the Colorado Senate
has been blocked from passage in the Republican-led House. (A 2006
constitutional amendment bars marriage for gay couples.)
Tuesday could break that log jam, if
Democrats regain control of the House.
Republicans are holding on to power
with a slim one-seat majority. And with more than a half dozen
competitive House races, the probability that Democrats will regain
control is high.
Should Democrats return to power in
the House, they could make history again on Thursday, the day the
House Democratic Caucus picks its next leader. It could be Minority
Leader Mark Ferrandino, who is openly gay.
In the Senate, Senator Pat Steadman
could be elected Senate President, marking a legislative first for
the nation: two openly gay men leading both state legislative
chambers.
Steadman and Ferrandino are also the
primary sponsors of the civil unions bill.
(Related: Nearly
70 percent of Coloradans back civil unions for gay couples.)