A Christian conservative group has
vowed to oust Delaware lawmakers who vote for a gay marriage bill.
On Tuesday, the Delaware Senate
approved the measure. Democratic Governor Jack Markell immediately
signed the bill into law.
“I am signing this bill now because I
do not intend to make any of you wait one moment longer,” Markell
told the crowd that had gathered on the main stairs in the lobby of
Legislative Hall.
(Related: Delaware
Senate approves gay marriage bill.)
Two senators, Bethany Hall-Long, a
Democrat from Middletown, and Catherine Cloutier, a Republican from
Brandywine Hundred, provided the swing votes needed to carry the
legislation in the Senate.
Nicole Theis, president of Delaware
Family Policy Council, which lobbied against passage of the bill,
told the AFA's Instant
Analysis that the bill's religious protections were weak
because businesses and individuals were not exempt.
“Our immediate concern is that good
people in this state will suffer discrimination simply because they
believe marriage is between one man and one woman and that children
deserve a mom and a dad,” Theis said. “There's minimal
protection in this law, and we believe that passing legislation like
this will trigger lawsuits and other forms of government
retaliation.”
Delaware lawmakers added sexual
orientation to the state's anti-discrimination law in 2009.
Speaking to the News
Journal, Theis had a warning for lawmakers who voted for the
bill.
“There are legislators who said they
would vote 'no' on redefining marriage. We trusted them. We stood
by them. Now we must hold them accountable,” she said. “We did
poll Senator Hall-Long's district, because she has very active
evangelical churches in her district.”
“According to that polling, she will
be replaced,” Theis said.