Same-sex marriage issue ripens

John Thune's campaign issued a press advisory today announcing press conferences Thune will hold around the state tomorrow. Thune will discuss his support of the federal marriage amendment which will be debated in the Senate next week. The press conferences will be held in Sioux Falls, Mitchell and Rapid City. You can read a copy of the press advisory HERE.

On the subject of the debate next week in the Senate, Jeff Gannon, resident DC expert on South Dakota politics, has a piece published today headlined "FMA Vote Threatens Daschle's 100% Pro-Gay Rating." Excerpt:

Passage of the FMA is uncertain in the Senate, since it will require 67 votes. Daschle will have to decide whether to allow a floor vote or prevent it with a filibuster. The choice is fraught with peril since the South Dakota senator realizes whatever he does will impact either his chances of reelection or his position as Minority Leader.

Late last month, the Boston Globe had an interesting passage regarding Daschle's dilemma in a story headlined "Mitt leads GOP ploy on gay unions." Relevant graf:

A week ago at a Republican Leadership Caucus, Senator Rick Santorum of Pennsylvania pressed the case for an accelerated vote on the marriage amendment. According to one account of the session, relayed by a Democratic consultant who is working with Federal Marriage Amendment opponents, senior Republican senators, including Ted Stevens of Alaska and John Warner of Virginia, expressed reluctance about such a vote. However, Santorum prevailed, saying he wanted to force Kerry and Senate Minority Leader Tom Daschle of South Dakota to vote. Santorum told colleagues that polling data from South Dakota indicate Daschle's vote against such an amendment could cost him the election.

In May, Democratic strategist Jeff Trammell stated that Senator Daschle was "solid as a rock” in his opposition to a constitutional ban on same-sex marriage, according to a story in the Washington Blade headlined Democrats disavow claim they might ‘cave’ on FMA." Excerpt:

Trammell said he spoke in person with Daschle last week.

“He’s as solid as a rock,” in his opposition to a constitutional ban on same-sex marriage, Trammell said.

UPDATE: Mike Madden of the Argus Leader's DC Bureau had a piece in yesterday's edition of USA Today headlined "Gay marriage vote could prove politically perilous."