The U.S. Senate is expected to vote, Wednesday, on a Constitutional amendment defining marriage as the union between a man and a woman. And, Missouri’s U.S. Senate race highlights differences of opinion on that effort. Republican incumbent Jim Talent backs the proposal. He believes marriage is a partnership between a man and a woman. And, he feels his position is strongly supported back here in Missouri. Adrianne Marsh, Communications Director for Claire McCaskill’s U.S. Senate campaign, says the likely Democrat challenger does believe in the traditional view of marriage, but does not want to see a Constitutional amendment. McCaskill’s position is that Missouri has a State Constitutional amendment defining traditional marriage – an amendment McCaskill opposed. Talent says that while Missouri has passed its amendment, it could be struck down by a federal judge. He calls this a vital issue. Marsh says that while the issue is not frivolous, it is taking time away from many of the important concerns faced by many Americans – things like the war in Iraq and high gas prices. A vote to end a filibuster would preceed the Senate vote on the proposal, itself. The proposal would need two-thirds of both the Senate and the House before it could be sent to the states for ratification. Three-quarters of the states would have to support the idea or the proposal would die.
