Illinois Republicans Split On Gay Marriage

By Chuck Sudo in News on Feb 17, 2014 7:10PM

Marriage equality will be the law of the Land of Lincoln for all gay couples in June but the issue still manages to drive a wedge among Illinois Republicans.

A Chicago Tribune/WGN-TV poll of 600 Republican voters showed that 60 percent of respondents believe the marriage equality law should be repealed. Thirty-four percent of respondents were in favor of the law. Support for the law is more even in the greater Chicago area with 49 percent of respondents favoring repeal and another 45 percent in favor of the law.

The same-sex marriage issue highlights the current state of flux in which the Illinois GOP finds itself. It wasn’t that long ago when the party was in control of the state Legislature and the governor’s mansion before the licenses for bribes scandal that led to the imprisonment of George Ryan highlighted a period of upheaval where the party found itself beset by scandal and the current super-majorities enjoyed by Democrats in the Illinois House and Senate.

In fact, few of the respondents expressed confidence the GOP could regain some footing in Illinois politics, where they currently play the Washington Generals to the Democrats’ Harlem Globetrotters. Paul Warda of Lombard told the Tribune, "Republicans keep shooting themselves in the foot in their campaigns."

Respondents to the poll also wanted to see the Affordable Care Act repealed and the minimum wage remain static despite growing calls for an increase. Gov. Pat Quinn has targeted a hike in the state’s minimum wage as one of the foundations of his re-election campaign.