Gay Marriage Adds Complexity in Swing States - Times Union
President Barack Obama’s support for gay marriage adds a new layer of complexity for voters — especially independents — in battleground states that will decide the race for the White House.
While the economy is certain to dominate the campaign over the next six months, gay marriage could have an impact at the margins in key states from Colorado to Ohio to Virginia by influencing voter turnout among important constituencies, among them minorities, young voters and evangelicals.
“It may cost you as many votes as it wins you,” said Colorado Republican Greg Brophy, a state senator.
Advocates on both sides of the emotional issue agree Obama’s pronouncement will stoke enthusiasm among core Democrats and Republicans, likely boosting turnout in the November election and fundraising ahead of it. The big unknown is where independent voters — and specifically those Obama struggles to win over, such as middle-class whites — land in the fewer than a dozen states expected to make a difference in the quest for the White House.