Iowa voters reject divisive tactics, embrace fairness

June 10, 2010

By Megan Kinninger,Freedom to Marry's Public Engagement Program Manager

Just over a year ago, following a unanimous Iowa SupremeCourt decision in support of the freedom to marry, Iowa same-sex couplesstarted marrying across the state.  Asfamilies rejoiced, those who opposed fairness vowed to stop these couples frommarrying.  Immediately, Iowans startedworking, led by One Iowa, the lead LGBT state organization, to defend thefreedom to marry. 

Last night, OneIowa announced continued success in defending the freedom to marry:

Pro-equality legislator Ako Abdul-Samad scored a decisive victoryin tonight’s House District 66 Democratic primary. Clair Rudison, with the fullforce of the Iowa Family Policy Center behind him, won only 25% of the vote compared to 74% for Abdul-Samad. Votersrejected the negative and divisive tactics he and the Iowa Family Policy Centerused to try to smear his opponent. “We congratulate Rep. Ako Abdul-Samad on hisdecisive victory and welcome his continued leadership at the statehouse,” said OneIowa Executive Director Carolyn Jenison.

Chuck Hurley and his followers atthe Iowa Family Policy Center recruited Clair Rudison to run against long-timecommunity activist and current state representative Ako Abdul-Samad in theDemocratic primary simply because Abdul-Samad supports marriage equality forall Iowans.

“For more than a year, the IowaFamily Policy Center said repeatedly that the legislative elections in 2010will be about one thing: gay marriage,” said Jenison. “Tonight’s results provethem wrong. Iowans are not interested inwriting discrimination into our constitution. They are concerned with creatingjobs, improving our schools, and moving our state forward.”

Our team at Freedomto Marry has been working closely with our partners at One Iowa, to protectfairness, and ensure that Iowans, along with the rest of the country, continueto learn more about how families, such as Paulaand Jennifer’s, are helped, and no one is hurt, when committed same-sexcouples marry. 

One Iowa is doing a fantastic job, along with all of theircoalition members and volunteers, and we urge you to continue supporting theirwork, as this is still just the beginning. To learn more and help One Iowa defend the freedom to marry, visit http://www.oneiowa.org/.