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Decisions by Default: U.S. Supreme Court Stays Quiet on Same-Sex Marriage

U.S. Supreme Court Building

Earlier this week, the U.S. Supreme Court decided not to take up any of the cases before them involving same-sex marriage.

If the Republicans should get control of the Iowa Senate... I wouldn't be surprised to see an amendment to overturn the Varnum decision. - Dennis Goldford

Scott Peters, an Associate Professor of Political Science at the University of Northern Iowa, says that means over the half of people in the United States now live in a place where same-sex marriage is legal. “By their refusal to take those cases, the Court has now, as a practical matter, left those decisions in place, so those states now have same-sex marriage.”  

Drake University Political Science Professor Dennis Goldford says that doesn’t mean that the controversy over same-sex marriage is over. He says even Iowa, where same-sex marriage has been legal since 2009, could see debate in the upcoming year. “If the Republicans should get control of the Iowa Senate... I wouldn’t be surprised to see an amendment to overturn the Varnum decision.”

During this River to River interview, we also get an update on the Iowa Senate race and recap the 3rd District Congressional debate that took place earlier this week. 

Ben Kieffer is the host of IPR's River to River
Lindsey Moon is IPR's Senior Digital Producer