Maryland Attorney General, Gansler, vocal in support of the freedom to marry

By Andy Eddins
Jun 03, 2010 at 03:38 pm

Posted by Julie Bykowicz on baltimoresun.com:

"When he first ran for attorney general on the platform of environmental activism, Douglas F. Gansler said advisers warned him he'd be tagged as a "tree-hugging liberal." As he seeks re-election this year, and with an eye on the 2014 governor's race, Gansler has embraced another left-of-center cause that he predicts is headed toward mainstream acceptance: the freedom to marry.

"Gansler, a Democrat who faces no opponent yet this fall, is transforming his campaign trail into a sort of rally for gay rights, jumping off from his controversial opinion, issued in February, that Maryland should recognize unions of same-sex couples legally performed in other states.

"This spring, Gansler has taken many opportunities to trumpet his belief that the prohibition of marriage is 'a clear violation of equal protection' — and has hastened to point out that no other statewide elected official in Maryland is as vocal in backing marriage equality.

... "There are signs that public opinion in Maryland is shifting. Legislation to legalize the freedom to marry, a perennial bill in Annapolis, had more co-sponsors than ever this year. And a recent Washington Post poll showed that for the first time a plurality of Marylanders support the concept of marriage equality."

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