Jepsey Seeks Support For Same-Sex Marriage

If successful, Wilkonshire would become second state to recognize same-sex marriage

PROVINCETOWN, WIK--Wilkonshire Governor Caroline Jepsey (NAT) is hoping to drum up enough support in the state legislature to pass legislation that would legalize gay marriage.

That may be difficult to do, despite the fact the Nationalist Party controls both houses of the state legislature, because recent polls in the state have shown a majority of Wilkonshireans are opposed to legalizing same-sex marriage. The last poll, conducted by Opinion Research, showed 58% of Wilkonshireans opposed, with only 42% supporting gay marriage. These poll results have made many legislators, even Nationalists, reluctant to take up such a hot-button issue.

"We should be worrying about the economy and getting Wilkonshireans back to work instead of things like this," State Sen. Les McCallister (NAT) told the NPF.

Still, despite the public's disapproval, Jepsey is not backing down.

"It's time for Wilkonshire to get current with the society we live in," she said at a press conference Thursday.

Religious conservatives in the state appear to be mobilizing at news the governor is aiming for same-sex marriage. Already, conservative Christians, and even a conservative Muslim group, are organizing a large rally at the Capitol set for next Thursday.

Roger Cathmore, Director of "Wilkonshireans For Traditional Marriage," the group leading the opposition to the governor's efforts, told the GBC his group is "prepared for battle."

"We are prepared to take this all the way to the Head Court if we have to," Cathmore said. "What the governor's doing is unfortunate, because she's basically saying that the opinion of the majority doesn't matter."

A spokeswoman for Jepsey, however, told GNN the governor is trying to protect the rights of every citizen.

"Governor Jepsey believes that homosexuals are real people and have real rights and deserve the same freedoms as everyone else," spokeswoman Sandy Higgins said.

If the governor is successful, Wilkonshire will become the second state to legalize gay marriage after Damoign, which did so back in 2003. Four other states, New Portsmouth, Trinton, Kalnier, and Harvannah, all have similar proposals to legalize same-sex marriage pending, however those measures could take a while to get through the legislative process. Two states, Remmington and Monomi, have constitutional amendments prohibiting same-sex marriage.

A poll last month conducted by STAR TV and The Grassadella City Times shows 54% of Grassadellans oppose same-sex marriage; however, that number has been shrinking since the late 1990s. Back in 1998, a similar poll showed 63% of Grassadellans opposed to same-sex marriage. The number of those opposed has steadily dropped over the last decade.