Why gay-marriage opponents are losing

Neither proponents nor opponents can be completely sure, but here are six possible explanations for the rapid shift toward accepting same-sex marriage

Opinion polls aren't on the side of gay-marriage opponents.
(Image credit: AP Photo/Steve Yeater)

Guessing how the Supreme Court will rule on the landmark same-sex marriage cases before it this week is a (very interesting) fool's game. But whatever the court decides later this year, "the political fight on gay marriage is over," says Chris Cillizza at The Washington Post.

Cillizza's point was underscored by two Democratic senators — Mark Warner (Va.) and Mark Begich (Alaska) — declaring their support for gay marriage late on Monday, joining a rapidly growing number of Democratic politicians and Sen. Rob Portman (R-Ohio). The main evidence for the seemingly inevitable defeat of the anti-gay-marriage argument, though, can be found in the opinion polls.

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Peter Weber, The Week US

Peter has worked as a news and culture writer and editor at The Week since the site's launch in 2008. He covers politics, world affairs, religion and cultural currents. His journalism career began as a copy editor at a financial newswire and has included editorial positions at The New York Times Magazine, Facts on File, and Oregon State University.