Marriage Equality And Iowa Politics

LGBT, NewsBites — By Speak Equal on August 14, 2009 at 12:57 pm

Stephen Burgmeier, a candidate endorsed by Everyday America, an organization against the Iowa Supreme Court decision to allow gay marriage

In an indication of how the Iowa supreme court marriage equality decision could reverberate throughout political contests in the state, a leading group of same-sex marriage opponents endorsed the Republican candidate for a Des Moines-area Congressional seat, reports the Des Moines Register.

Stephen Burgmeier (pictured), a candidate in House district 90, was endorsed by Everyday America, which led protests against the unanimous Iowa supreme court decision that legalized same-sex marriage in April.

Burgmeier faces Democrat Curt Hansen , a former driving instructor, in a special election scheduled for September 1. Hansen focuses on issues such as jobs, healthcare and education in his campaign.

The congressional seat opened in July when former Congressman John Whitaker, a Democrat, was appointed by President Obama to be the Iowa director of the Farm Service Agency.

As a Jefferson County supervisor, Burgmeier helped pass a resolution in April that called on state legislators to stand against same-sex marriage. The resolution passed unanimously, but its impact was largely symbolic because the legislature already had adjourned.

This article originally published via the The Advocate.