The injection of gay marriage into political contests is stimulating a divisive, passionately important issue.

On Nov. 2, Maine voters rejected a gay-marriage law passed by the legislature.

National gay rights and anti-same-sex marriage groups, such as Focus on the Family, played a major role in Maine, spending close to $2 million.

The opposition also defeated the court-ordered legalization of same-sex marriage in California, Proposition 8, in 2008, 52.1 percent to 47.9 percent.

Also on the list of gay-marriage opponents for future action are Iowa — court-ordered legalization of gay marriage — New Jersey and New York, where bills legalizing gay marriage are in the legislatures.

Also on Nov. 2 in New York’s 23rd Congressional district race for an open seat, Republican Dede Scozzafava’s most controversial position was her vote for gay marriage and generally her liberal positions on issues.

Many voters who have lost their jobs and have no health insurance will still vote for the anti-gay candidate rather than vote on economic issues.

Research shows that this is largely because the issue of same-sex marriage is still deeply rooted in American society and is a prohibition in most religions.

There is also a fear factor, with opponents warning that legalization of same-sex marriages would lead to indoctrination in schools.

The direction of support for gay marriage in 2009 is not favorable, with 54 percent of American opposed and 35 percent supporting same-sex marriage — a 14 percent drop from the recent high. The highest support for gay marriage in the Pew Poll has been 49 percent, the lowest was 27 percent in 1996.

Of great importance is the position of political independents.

“The opinions of those who identify themselves as political independents roughly mirror those of the national population, with 55 percent opposed to same-sex marriage and 34 percent in favor of it.”

 These independents are the king- or queen-makers in every state because they are the majority of voters in almost all of the 50 states.

Also interesting is the position of black Protestants on gay marriage — 56 percent are opposed, while 30 percent approve. 

African-Americans, more liberal on most issues, are among the most opposed to gay marriage.

Voters in 31 states have rejected same-sex marriage by vote; never have votes legalized it.

Same-sex marriage is legal in Massachusetts, Connecticut, Iowa, New Hampshire and Vermont by court order or legislation.

The 2010 Iowa governor race may revolve around gay marriage, Republicans demanding a ballot issue to reverse the Iowa Supreme Court ruling for gay marriage, as in California.

Gay marriage is legal in the Netherlands, Belgium, Spain, Canada, South Africa, Norway and Sweden. At least 70 countries outlaw homosexuality.

In the United States the debate has played out at the state level and locally where same-sex partnerships — but not marriage — have been put in place. As gay marriage was defeated in Maine, voters in Washington state approved the legislature’s expansion of domestic partnership rights.

The biggest gay-marriage story is the federal lawsuit challenging California’s Proposition 8.

This suit argues that Proposition 8 violates gays’ rights to due process and equal protection under the Constitution. It is expected to go all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court, which may put to rest the legal — if not the political — aspects of this divisive issue.

Steffen Schmidt is a professor of political science and chief political correspondent for www.insideriowa.com.