Pollster Says Most Pennsylvanians Not Riled Up Over Gay Marriage Issue
By Tony Romeo
HARRISBURG, Pa. (CBS) -- Two state lawmakers from Philadelphia say they will introduce legislation to sanction same-sex marriage in Pennsylvania.
But the state's most prominent pollster says same-sex marriage is much more likely to come to Pennsylvania as the result of a court ruling.
In the latest Franklin & Marshall College poll, 54 percent of Pennsylvania residents said they support same-sex marriage. But at the same time, poll director Terry Madonna says, voters do not identify the issue as a priority:
"Given the health of the economy, given the other economic and fiscal concerns that voters have, I don't think it's likely to move center stage as one of those issues that will see a lot of pressure on the legislature in the short run."
Without that pressure on a culturally conservative, Republican-controlled state legislature, Madonna believes that same-sex marriage in Pennsylvania is more likely to come as the result of a court ruling.
There are currently at least four cases challenging Pennsylvania's marriage law pending in state (related story) and federal courts (related story).
