When the debate over same-sex marriage recently came to a head in the U.S. Senate, New Hampshire Sen. John Sununu broke rank with his colleagues right of the aisle to oppose moving forward with a vote on the proposed constitutional amendment to ban the practice. The procedural vote failed, killing the gay marriage ban before it could reach the Senate floor.
The vote, which garnered just 48 votes of the 60 required in its favor, was pushed forward by President George W. Bush and the Senate's Republican leadership, who had expected to have enough support to bring the amendment to the floor for a vote, even if they were unable to get the 67 votes required for the amendment to pass.
Sununu, who was elected in 2002, opposed the ban because he said it would interfere with the Defense of Marriage Act and the rights of states to determine their own marriage laws.
"America's Constitution and Congress have left the power to define marriage with the states, and specifically in the hands of the people acting through their elected representatives. Although the Supreme Court of Massachusetts has usurped this power from the people of that state, it cannot change the meaning of the 10th Amendment," Sununu said in a statement issued after his vote.
Still, Sununu said he opposed efforts to legalize same-sex marriage and would vote for a constitutional amendment defining marriage as a union between a man and a woman should courts require states to recognize same-sex unions in the future.
"I believe marriage should be recognized as a legal union between a man and a woman. If 'activist' judges attempt to strike down the Defense of Marriage Act or force states to recognize non-traditional marriages endorsed by other states, I will support legislation that returns this power to the people as the framers of our Constitution so clearly intended," Sununu said.
Sununu joined five other Republicans -- Sen. Lincoln Chafee, R-R.I., Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, Sen. Olympia Snowe, R-Maine, Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., and Sen. Ben Nighthorse Campbell, R-Co. -- in opposing a vote against gay marriage. The only senator from the New England region who voted to advance the amendment was Judd Gregg, R-N.H., who is up for re-election in November.
"It is my position that we should proceed to debate and vote on this issue [the constitutional amendment effectively banning same-sex marriage] as a senate, and therefore, I will support the motion to invoke cloture, although I understand it may not pass as a result of Democratic opposition," Gregg said before the vote. "Should it pass, and should we then proceed to the actual substance of the amendment, it is my intention to support language which would define marriage as between one man and one woman."
Here at Dartmouth, gay rights advocates are pleased with the outcome of Wednesday's Senate vote and Sununu's decision.
"It's a good step toward equality on the gay and lesbian front," Ricky Cole '06 of the College's Gay Straight Alliance said.
Cole said he thought the campus would be pleased with Sununu's vote against moving forward with a ban against same-sex marriage after efforts to lobby Congress against a constitutional amendment.
"I'm very pleased with [the vote]. Definitely a lot of Dartmouth students spoke out about this, as far as blitzing their senators and getting involved in the issue," Cole said.
