Reply #8: Hawaii: Gay-friendly Neil Abercrombie (D) wins Gubernatorial race

[racaulk]

Earlier this year, the Hawaii state legislature narrowly passed a bill providing for civil unions for unmarried partners (gay and straight) in that state, despite a loud and concerted effort from right-wing groups to try to defeat the bill. After the bill reached the desk of Gov. Linda Lingle (R-Obviously), she allowed the bill to sit on her desk prompting an extended, anxiety-inducing, and unnecessary "will she sign the bill, or won't she?" period. Lingle decided to veto the bill in the 11th hour, and since the bill did not pass with veto-proof majorities in the legislature, it was officially dead by her hands.

I suppose the twice-married, twice-divorced Lingle, through preventing teh gays from entering into legal, secular, non-marriage, non-religious civil unions, saw herself as something of a "protector of marriage." Or something.

:eyes:

Abercrombie has a 100% rating with the HRC and a 93% rating with the ACLU (source). If the state legislature decides to again pass legislation to approve civil unions in Hawaii, this means that Abercrombie would be likely to sign the bill. However, I'm not sure how the balance of the state legislature changed with the election, and what that means for the chances of a similar bill in the next Congress.