Having spawned countless protests, an all-night filibuster in

the Wisconsin State Assembly and a statement from the Madison City

Council, the proposed state constitutional amendment limiting

marriage to one man and one woman would seem to be one of the most

divisive issues in the state during this election year. Just how

divisive it is, however, remains open for debate.

Steve Baas, press secretary for Assembly Speaker John Gard,

R-Peshtigo, says the issue is not nearly as polarizing as many make

it seem.

“The fact is that it isn’t a divisive issue, because this

amendment had strong bipartisan support not only in the

Legislature, but in the general public,” Baas said, alluding to

polls indicating a majority of Wisconsin residents are in favor of

the amendment.

In a recent Badger Poll, 64 percent of Wisconsinites said they

favored a state constitutional ban on gay marriage while 29 percent

opposed such an action.

Baas further highlighted the fact the amendment garnered

bipartisan support from more than two-thirds of the state

Legislature.

Julie Laundrie, spokesperson for Senate Minority Leader Jon

Erpenbach, D-Middleton, disagreed and said legislators are ignoring

long-term policy decisions in favor of “bumper-sticker politics” by

addressing the issue of gay marriage.

“I think it’s hard to argue that it is good public policy to

support something so divisive and hurtful to so many people,”

Laundrie said.

Also open for debate is how constituent pressure played a role

in the amendment’s passage in the Legislature. Despite polls

showing majority support for the measure, UW political science

professor Dennis Dresang believes public opinion held little weight

in its introduction.

“This amendment is very consistent with the rightwing agenda

that the legislative leaders have pursued, and it was going to

happen no matter what,” Dresang said.

To underscore his belief in the inevitability of the amendment,

Dresang pointed to the Legislature’s attempt in February to allow

citizens the right to carry concealed weapons. Polls showed the

bill was not supported by the majority of Wisconsin residents, but

it nonetheless passed through both houses before Gov. Jim Doyle’s

veto ultimately prevented it from becoming law.

Baas emphasized that constituent opinion played a strong role in

Gard’s support for the amendment. However, he acknowledged that gay

activists and court decisions in Massachusetts ultimately forced

the Legislature’s hand.

“The question was not whether it would be addressed, but whether

it would be done before the Legislature, in an open forum

accountable to the public, or before a judge behind closed doors,”

Baas said.

Supporters of the bill point to the polls to indicate they are

listening to the public, but Dresang questions how much legislators

stand to gain from supporting the amendment.

“Some politicians did worry that they may suffer politically

(for not supporting the amendment), but there’s no evidence to

suggest that,” Dresang said. “The truth is, it is a very divisive

issue, so it’s not clear how much each side will gain.”