The Star-Ledger, the largest newspaper in New Jersey, published an editorial on Friday that takes to task Democrats wavering on marriage equality in recent weeks.
The Newark-based newspaper invoked the results of a Rutgers-Eagleton poll released on Thursday that shows voters support marriage equality, albeit by a slim margin of 46% to 42%.
“Maybe they should take a look at the latest poll, and man up,” wrote the Star-Ledger. “Like other polls on this question, this one shows that most people in New Jersey are greeting this supposed threat to civilization with a collective shrug. The public is way ahead of the politicians on this one,” the newspaper writes.
Both houses of the legislature could vote on the marriage equality bill in the lame duck session that begins Monday, but this week Democratic senate majority leader Steven Sweeney seemed to suggest that the bill should take a backseat to the economy. The suggestion sparked a sharp rebuke from state senator Loretta Weinberg (pictured), the lead sponsor of the marriage equality bill and former running mate of governor Jon Corzine, who lost to antigay governor elect Chris Christie.
Sweeney later clarified his remarks to say he thinks the bill should come up in the lame-duck session.
