Just when you've given up on California.....On a day when Californians overwhelmingly voted for Barack Obama, California voters approved a constitutional amendment banning same sex marriage, overturning the state Supreme Court decision that gave gay couples the right to wed just a few months ago.
With almost all of the precincts reporting, Proposition 8 was leading by a 52 percent to 48 percent margin.
The fight over proposition 8 was one of the most heated fights over a ballot measure in American history. The "Yes on (Proposition) 8" campaign had raised 35 million dollars and had sent out about 100,000 volunteers all over the state of California.
The "No on 8" faction had raised about 38 million dollars and had about 10,000 volunteers.
Campaign donations came in from all across America, with Christians and Mormons donating for the constitutional amendment and gay rights activists and Hollywood standouts such as Ellen DeGeneres and Brad Pitt donating to oppose it.
Chip White, the co-campaign manager for the "Yes" side said this: "Momentum continues to be on our side as California recognizes the serious consequences if gay marriage remains legal."
Florida and Arizona also voted Tuesday to ban gay marriage outright, joining dozens of other states that define marriage as only between a man and a woman. In both Florida and Arizona, laws already defined marriage as a heterosexual institution, but supporters pushed to amend the state constitutions, claiming that doing so would protect marriage from legal challenges.
So it was a great night for the opponents of gay marriage.
However, it is important to note that the California vote against gay marriage was not as strong as eight years ago.
Eight years ago, Californians voted 61% to define marriage as being between one man and one woman. So Tuesday's vote was substantially weaker.
But it still passed, and that is something to be thankful for.
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