* State Rep. Rita Mayfield (D-Waukegan) held a town hall meeting yesterday at the behest of gay marriage proponents. Lots of protesters showed up…

Emotions ran high during a townhall meeting Monday on a same-sex marriage bill now before the Illinois House.

Sponsored by state Rep. Rita Mayfield, D-Waukegan, the meeting drew an estimated crowd of 150 people who crammed into a small room for a Q-and-A at the North Chicago Public Library. Many of those present arrived aboard a church bus that declared in big painted letters on its side: “Say no to same-sex marriage.”

* By looking at the coverage, it appears that Mayfield tried to maintain an evenhanded approach yesterday. She also announced this…

Mayfield said she received more than 200 calls opposing the measure after an ad, purchased by Illinois Unites for Marriage, and urging Mayfield to vote yes on SB10, appeared March 1 in the Lake County News-Sun. Mayfield said that a survey of her constituents, taken last spring, showed 70 percent opposed to legalizing same-sex unions. She said she will vote with the majority opinion in her district.

“I made a pledge that I would always listen to constituents,” Mayfield said. “Yes, I am the representative of the 60th District, but I believe in the will of the people. It’s not about what Rita wants. It’s about what the district wants.”

There’s no sin in voting one’s district, even though legislators are “state” lawmakers. But basing important votes solely on district calls and legislative surveys is probably not a great idea. If she wants to know what’s really going on, she’ll hire a pollster.

*** UPDATE *** A poll of 401 registered voters was actually taken Feb. 21-24 of the district by Fako & Associates for Illinois Unites for Marriage, a proponent of legalized gay marriage. From the pollster…

Among all voters, 41% support legalizing same-sex marriage while 43% oppose it. The opposition is centered in Republicans (77% Oppose).

A majority (54%) of Democrats in the 60th District support legalizing same-sex marriage, while 29% of Democrats oppose the proposed law. Democratic women (57% Support, 26% Oppose) are solidly in favor of the proposal, while Democratic men (49% Support, 36% Oppose) lean strongly in favor of it. Democrats under age 50 (60% Support) and those age fifty and older (52% Support) are in favor of the proposed law.

Other sub-groups in favor of the law include women (45% Support, 37% Oppose), voters under age fifty (49% Support, 37% Oppose), particularly women under fifty (53% Support), Independents (49% Support, 35% Oppose), liberals (69% Support), moderate women (45% Support, 33% Oppose), and Hispanics (46% Support, 33% Oppose). All minorities are initially divided (40% Support, 42% Oppose), as are white voters (43% Support / Oppose).

[ *** End Of Update *** ]

* Meanwhile…

Four months after ranking gay marriage as his No. 3 legislative priority in Springfield, Mayor Rahm Emanuel on Monday turned up the heat on state lawmakers in an effort to put the bill over the top in the Illinois House.

In an email to the vast network of supporters he created during the mayoral campaign, Emanuel created a vehicle for gay marriage proponents to pressure their state representatives with the click of a mouse.

Emanuel is asking people to click here.

* And the Illinois Family Institute is asking its supporters to click here and oppose gay marriage. They’re also asking supporters to request that their churches share this flier with their congregations.