Marriage measure may turn on Allen
2006-11-01
Source: Washington Times
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rss feedA state constitutional marriage amendment designed to motivate conservative voters and help Virginia Sen. George Allen's re-election campaign appears to be backfiring, at least among black voters.
The Republican senator probably will benefit from evangelical Christians voting for the amendment. But, the amendment also will drive turnout among the state's black voters, many of whom are questioning whether Mr. Allen is racially insensitive and deserves a second term.
Virginia's black voters support the amendment, which defines marriage as the union of one man and one woman, by more than 60 percent, according to most polls. They also overwhelmingly favor Mr. Allen's Democratic challenger James H. Webb Jr.
The black vote is even more crucial this year than most, as Mr. Allen and Mr. Webb are nearly tied in statewide polls leading up to Tuesday's election.
"My people don't see it as a Democratic issue or a Republican issue. They see it as a societal issue," said the Rev. Milton R. Blount, pastor of the predominantly black New Mount Olivet Baptist Church in Portsmouth, Va.
Mr. Blount said his congregants are overwhelmingly in favor of defining marriage as the union of one man and one woman, but they also are traditionally Democratic voters.
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