* The comments on GOP state Rep. Ed Sullivan’s Facebook page have been overwhelmingly positive since he announced he was voting for the gay marriage bill. But, there’s always one goofball in the bunch…

Notice that Mr. Badenorst “liked” his own comment. I don’t get why people do that.

* This comment below WGN’s story is just plain stupid…

Hyperpartisans make me ill. The guy is with you. Get over yourself.

Also, keep in mind that the entire nation is being moved to support gay rights as more gay people have come out of the closet. So, that commenter’s “logic” (which some national Democratic pundit types have also been using) isn’t just an indictment of Republicans, it’s an indictment of the majority of Americans.

Sore winners are the worst.

* From a press release…

With the Illinois state Legislature set to return from recess, the National Organization for Marriage (NOM) today reiterated its pledge to spend $250,000 defeating Republican legislators who vote in support of same-sex ‘marriage’ in Illinois, just like NOM successfully did in New York.

“Any Republican in Illinois who betrays the cause of marriage will be casting a career-ending vote and will be held accountable to their constituents,” said Brian Brown, NOM’s president. “We will spend whatever it takes—hundreds of thousands of dollars if necessary—to remove them from office, just as we did three of the four turncoat Republican state Senators in New York who were responsible for gay ‘marriage’ passing there. We will not hesitate to support pro-family Democrats to replace them, as our record in New York proves.”

In New York, same-sex marriage narrowly passed the state senate after four Republicans and two Democrats changed their votes in response to promises of campaign cash from gay marriage activists. NOM targeted all seven for defeat, and was successful in removing five of them, replacing them in 2012 with pro-family Senators. As numerous media have reported, including the New York Times, three of the four Republicans were removed from office despite promises by Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo, Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg and gay-rights advocates to do everything in their power to protect them against political retribution. (”Costly Toll for Republicans Who Voted for Gay Marriage”).

In addition to supporting challengers to the four Republicans, NOM also supported pro-family Democrats, helping to re-elect Senator Ruben Diaz and electing a pro-marriage Democrat to unseat Senator Shirley Huntley in the Democratic primary. “Marriage is not a partisan issue,” Brown said. “We will stand with pro-family legislators regardless of party affiliation when they stand up for true marriage.”

I’ve asked NOM for a specific react to Rep. Sullivan’s announcement. Stay tuned.

* Coverage roundup…

* VIDEO: Illinois Republican lawmaker supports gay marriage

* Illinois House GOP leader in favor of gay marriage

* Two suburban Republicans back same-sex marriage

* GOP Rep. Ed Sullivan declares support for gay marriage

* Ed Sullivan Jr., Second Republican Rep, Publicly Backs Marriage Equality Bill

* Quinn: ‘Very Close’ to Votes to Pass Gay Marriage

       

31 Comments - Chicago Cynic - Tuesday, Apr 9, 13 @ 10:16 am: Obviously Rocco’s comment speaks for itself, but I don’t agree with you that the other comment is “stupid.” Republican’s who have come out in support of marriage have almost universally done it because someone they loved turned out to be gay, not because it was a basic civil right’s issue. There’s nothing wrong with pointing that out. - collar observer - Tuesday, Apr 9, 13 @ 10:17 am: Quite frankly Rich - why even give this hyper-nut “air time”? UGH - Johnny Q. Suburban - Tuesday, Apr 9, 13 @ 10:18 am: What I love most about that criticism of Republicans supporting gay marriage only because of a relationship with someone gay is that it presupposes that Democrats who support gay marriage always supported gay marriage and just did not vocalize their support because it wasn’t politically prudent… Like THAT is somehow more noble than changing views because of personal experience. - Oswego Willy - Tuesday, Apr 9, 13 @ 10:24 am: Barrowing a bit from a post from yesterday … Rep. Ed Sullivan, Well done and I am pleased to see the support you are getting, but hope …HOPE more in the ILGOP take this time to support you. The Reagan Rule of 80% should not be a “talking point” or something that sounds “cool” or even look cool when typed. You… are doing your part, and you should be held as a Model to others that you can agee 80% of the time with Our Party, and still be considered a “Good Republican” - I think … that is what Jim Oberweis saida about Sen. Kirk and Sen. Barickman… right? We Republicans must … MUST … understand that being Right, and losing is no longer an acceptable way to run the ILGOP. Moving our party forward means undeerstanding that rigidness will lead to “contracture” and a party shrinking… and shrinking. Example? We Republicans represent 66 districts out of 177 possible. Look at our Caucuses!!! Where is the diversity of THOUGHT… and where o’ where is the Diversity? We are attracting a subgroup of voters … all the while our Caucuses ARE a subgroup of Illinois. You can’t win Majorities with these ideas, and the dismissal of the Reagan Rule of 80%, so why be Right, and be ignored by the voters? The more positive feedback you get, the more we Republicans need to rething the Litmus Tests if we hope to grow, win, and be a Majority Party. Rep. Ed Sullivan, I hope there are 4 or 5 more like you in the House, so the STAIN of the Litmus Testers and Blood Oathers will have a response for the voters to hear with your stance, and we can grow as a Party. - ??? - Tuesday, Apr 9, 13 @ 10:29 am: What difference does it make if a person changes their position because of a personal connection to it? Lots of people’s views on issues change over time, based on personal experiences. If you support gay marriage, just be glad that Sullivan is supporting it, regardless of whether he supported it a year ago. Geesh. - walkinfool - Tuesday, Apr 9, 13 @ 10:31 am: I think it had to be the Golden Horseshoe that helped Ed come around. Actually he has always been a helpful, caring and open legislator. - walkinfool - Tuesday, Apr 9, 13 @ 10:44 am: @JohnnyQ: Point well made. upon reflection, mea culpa - hisgirlfriday - Tuesday, Apr 9, 13 @ 10:59 am: Ironically the angry facebook commenter advertises himself as an inspiring motivational speaker. I guess fear does count as a motivation… Its just frustrating though knowing how many people reacted to sullivans decision with unshared acceptance and approval, like I did yesterday, while the loudest and angriest may be the ones he and his staff actually hear from. - Kyle Hillman - Tuesday, Apr 9, 13 @ 11:03 am: As to the liking your own post, there are two reason to do it and one big reason not to. The obvious reason not to is you look a little odd and self-absorbed. If you can get past that, it actually increases your chances of other people clicking like (and therefore sharing your post). People are more likely to do the task if someone else has — including yourself. The other reason has more to do with how Google+ and Facebook handle posts. Activity sends the post back up to the top of your friends stream…so if you are not getting much activity on a post you can like it and have your viewers see it again. (although I prefer when people comment on their own post to do the same thing). Basically equivalent of retweeting your article later in the day so a new batch of viewers will see it. - Grandson of Man - Tuesday, Apr 9, 13 @ 11:09 am: “Moving our party forward means undeerstanding that rigidness will lead to “contracture” and a party shrinking… and shrinking.” It must stink to experience what you’re going through, with the constant primary attacks on the right flank. I hope your party can loosen the grip of the far right. Gay marriage is a great example of how one segment of the Republican Party supports it (young voters), in opposition to most Republicans. “Rep. Ed Sullivan, I hope there are 4 or 5 more like you in the House, so the STAIN of the Litmus Testers and Blood Oathers will have a response for the voters to hear with your stance, and we can grow as a Party.” Now a mega PAC is coming out that says super PACs like Club for Growth are not conservative enough. It will give out ideological purity rings with built-in cameras and microphones and will primary even Tea Party pols who “said the name Obama five times without criticizing him” and who “smiled in Obama’s direction.” - Wensicia - Tuesday, Apr 9, 13 @ 11:17 am: The reactions to the few Republicans coming out for gay marriage is comparable to reactions gays received when they started to come out years ago. - Wensicia - Tuesday, Apr 9, 13 @ 11:19 am: “are comparable”, sorry. - SuburbanDad - Tuesday, Apr 9, 13 @ 11:28 am: As a person waiting for the ability to legally marry my partner in IL, I do not care why a Rep changes their position in support, I just care that they did! There are many Republican House Members that are thoughtful, caring, and who understand this issue. I hope they find the political courage to stand up and vote yes for marriage equality. - David - Tuesday, Apr 9, 13 @ 11:37 am: It is a shame that you are willing to repeat NOM’s spin without scrutinizing it. In fact, NOM has consistently failed in its efforts to “punish” legislators who vote for SSM. Last year, NOM made bold threats against NH Republicans who voted against repealing SSM in that state, just as it is doing in IL. Half of the NH House’s Republicans voted against repeal. NOM targeted many of them in the 2012 primaries and lost in every single primary. See www[dot]freedomtomarry[dot]org/blog/entry/nom-fails-in-new-hampshire-primary-elections NOM similarly has failed to exact retribution in in MA, IA, WA, and the other states that have passed SSM. With respect to NY, 1 of the 3 GOP senators opted not to run because he was extremely unpopular due to a lawsuit the senator had filed against a constituent on whose property the senator was trespassing. A pro-SSM senator now occupies that seat. A 2d senator lost to a pro-SSM Democrat as the result of a significant 3rd party spoiler campaign, something that is not likely to happen in Illinois. A 3d senator, Mark Grisanti, won both the primary and general elections overwhelmingly. NOM’s sole “win” came in one primary, which it only squeaked out by about 100 votes. Hardly an impressive record. - wordslinger - Tuesday, Apr 9, 13 @ 11:46 am: I don’t think it matters as to how Rep. Sullivan arrived at his position. Like many, I spent most of my life ignorant or indifferent to this injustice. I’m not proud of that. My come-to-Jesus moment came a few years ago. I was enjoying a glorious Sunday in the park with my family watching one of my boys play baseball. A couple of sweet elderly ladies timidly approached me and asked if I would sign a petition endorsing legislation so that they and others could enter into civil unions. I immediately felt a powerful rush of shame. Why in the world did these old gals need my or anyone else’s approval for their lives? Why hadn’t their plight been a big deal to me until then? I have neighbors, gay couples with children — why was I not an advocate, a defender of their families? So, I don’t know if I got there in the right way, either, but I’m there now. Whom God has joined together, let no man put asunder. I read an obit the other day on a former Klansman, a bad man who beat young Rep. Lewis nearly to death at the Selma bridge. He changed his ways because he thought he was going to hell. He sought salvation and forgiveness, and was forgiven. I don’t think it matters how he got there. http://articles.washingtonpost.com/2013-03-31/local/38170999_1_john-lewis-the-herald-wilson-s - Just Me - Tuesday, Apr 9, 13 @ 11:59 am: Introducing Democrats to gay people is what worked to convince a lot of them to support equal marriage, I’m surprised someone is offended that the same strategy was used on Republicans. I guess that person just assumes all Democrats support equal marriage and always have. That person should stop watching Rachael Maddow. - Chavez-respecting Obamist - Tuesday, Apr 9, 13 @ 12:12 pm: I don’t think any of us who aren’t gay can say we are supportive completely in a vacuum. I support gay marriage because I want gay people to have the same rights I have. I can’t say I’d feel that way if I didn’t know any gay people. OTOH, I can’t imagine there is anyone in the world who doesn’t know someone who is gay. - Happy Returns - Tuesday, Apr 9, 13 @ 12:18 pm: Kyle H makes some interesting, good points, but there is also the ’smudgey-screen’ factor. It’s easy to do it accidentally while trying to navigate/scroll the page on a mobile device. You may not even notice you did it on some devices..especially if the page won’t refresh. - Keep Calm and Carry On - Tuesday, Apr 9, 13 @ 12:24 pm: Love the way the very first comment doubles down on the focus of the post. No, there were never (”The only time”) any Republicans who supported gay marriage before President Obama had his conversion a few months ago. Heaven forbid. And there couldn’t possibly be such a thing as a gay Republican either, could there. Sheesh. On a more serious note, it’s not as though this sudden revelation is going to gain the GOP many votes. It will open the door to new voters, certainly, but this single issue will not serve as a sudden salve for the issues before the party. - qcexaminer - Tuesday, Apr 9, 13 @ 1:47 pm: It’s worth mentioning that Dick Cheney came out for gay marriage in ‘04 waaaaay before the Lightbringer Obama “evolved” and the “inevitable” Hillary got onboard. But please continue with your cartoonish thinking about the GOP and ssm—why let facts get in the way of your preening self-righteousness? - Demoralized - Tuesday, Apr 9, 13 @ 1:47 pm: The NOM says they are “pro-family” but I can’t think of anything more anti-family than being against marriage. - CarrollCounty - Tuesday, Apr 9, 13 @ 2:27 pm: Hillary went public like 3 weeks ago, after the GOP senator from Ohio made the news. Bill Clinton signed DOMA, not that long ago. It is very petty to make this partisan right now as people are rapidly changing all over. Maybe in 20 years it will be a legit partisan issue. - Rich Miller - Tuesday, Apr 9, 13 @ 2:33 pm: ===It is very petty to make this partisan right now as people are rapidly changing all over.=== Agreed to a point. But I do think it’s legit to point out that while there have been some very high profile GOP backers, they’re still way in the minority on this one, and a majority of their party members (voters) are also opposed, according to the polling. - Oswego Willy - Tuesday, Apr 9, 13 @ 2:35 pm: What makes this partisan for the ILGOP is the fact Jim Oberweis is using the GOP platform as the tool to use as a Litmus Test for “How Republican are you?”… and since a Party Platform, by its nature, is partisan, here in the case if Illinois, it has been so described by Jim Oberweis and the Slytherin House Litmus Testers. You can’t say a party platform is the reason members of that party can’t be on one side, and then in the same breath NOT have it be partisan IN that same party. - ChicagoR - Tuesday, Apr 9, 13 @ 2:36 pm: It seems to me like this is the perfect time to make it a partisan issue. One party is 51 for, 3 against in the Senate. The other is 2 for, 43 against in the Senate. Never a more clear partisan divide. In a few years, the GOP will (mostly) catch up with history, and there won’t be a clear partisan breakdown anymore. - 47th Ward - Tuesday, Apr 9, 13 @ 3:04 pm: I’ve been coming down to Springfield for far too long to care a whit about why someone is voting for my bill as long as they vote for it when the bell rings. Hyper partisans are taking a lot of the joy out of the process as far as I’m concerned. Kudos to Sullivan and Sandack. Glad to have you with us on this one. - Just The Way It Is One - Tuesday, Apr 9, 13 @ 3:23 pm: Obviously this is a special-interest group which, like a slough of others out there throughout the Land, has its’ own specific cause, and, as has become the “Amercian Way,” like it or not and thanks in large part to the U.S. Supreme Court, is willing to put its’ money where its’ mouth is–AND even delve deeply into other State’s politics to do it! And why should we be shocked that such an approach often may reap the results it seeks? Dare I scrounge up the recent, pointed example with Michael Bloomberg’s SUPER PAC spending million$ right here in our own Backyard in the U.S. 2nd Congressional District to ensure that an openly PRO-Gun Candidate in (Former) Congresswoman Debbie Halvorson be handily defeated–and we all 1ST-hand witnessed the outcome there! PerHAPS those flip-flopping their votes on this upcoming vote, as well, HAD better beware of a well-financed impending campaign against them! - Chavez-respecting Obamist - Tuesday, Apr 9, 13 @ 3:46 pm: - Just The Way It Is One- What? - Arthur Andersen - Tuesday, Apr 9, 13 @ 4:13 pm: Just the Way, once again in English, please. Oh, and was it only AA that had a giggle that “Rocco” lives in Bill Brady’s district? - Ray Midge - Tuesday, Apr 9, 13 @ 5:24 pm: NOM is full of it. 97% of legislators who voted for marriage equality in 2012 won re-election. The few who lost were defeated for other reasons — reasons that had nothing to do with the issue. http://content.thirdway.org/publications/661/Third_Way_Memo_-_Pro-Marriage_Legislators_Win_Elections_.pdf - wordslinger - Tuesday, Apr 9, 13 @ 8:01 pm: For those of us in the United States, this is the human rights issue of our time. It has profound meaning in our communities, on our blocks, in our homes, to our neighbors and the people we love. Posterity will judge us on our actions today. Good lord, we know what’s the right thing to do, no matter what some pezzonovante politicians and collars say. It is inconceivable to me that in the year 2013, this great progressive country, “the last, best hope of earth” will endorse the wicked bigotry reflected in DOMA, a despicable judgement on some of God’s beloved children by a bunch of punk politicians. I am ashamed that I am late to the battle on this issue. But I come a-running. “I am in earnest; I will not equivocate; I will not excuse; I will not retreat a single inch; and I will be heard.” Sorry, comments for this post are now closed.