Gay Marriage Emerging As '12 Wedge Issue

The Wall Street Journal reports:

New York's decision to permit same-sex marriages sets the stage for battles in half a dozen other states and could propel gay rights as a political wedge issue in the 2012 elections.

The new battle lines were already being drawn as states such as Minnesota prepared to take on the same-sex marriage issue in the near future and as the New York law put fresh pressure on President Barack Obama to articulate a clearer position on the topic.

Gay-rights advocates, who celebrated Sunday at parades across the country, said New York's move—a bill permitting same-sex marriage that was championed by Democrat Gov. Andrew Cuomo and passed by a Republican-led state Senate on Friday—marked a turning point in the nearly 20-year political and legal debate over the definition of marriage. "This is an immense win that brings giant momentum to the movement to end marriage discrimination in the U.S.," said Evan Wolfson, president of national gay rights group Freedom to Marry.

After the gay-pride parade Sunday in New York, Mr. Cuomo said, "I think you're going to see this message resonate all across the country now. If New York can do it, it's OK for every other place to do it."