“As Maryland and Washington join six other states in approving same-sex marriage, it’s clear that the era of politicians exploiting the issue for political game appears over,” argues UMBC political science professor Thomas Schaller in his latest Salon column.
Schaller traces shifting positions on same-sex marriage over the last 16 years — among both voters and politicians — focusing particularly on conservative Ken Mehlman. A former Republican strategist who managed Bush’s 2004 campaign, Mehlman now argues in favor of same-sex marriage rights, which he sees as consistent with conservative beliefs in the economic freedom, personal responsibility and family values.
Schaller concludes that “despite Santorum’s earnest attempts to reinvigorate culture war politics,” same-sex marriage no longer functions as a wedge issue in national elections.
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