Crowd erupts as gay marriage bill passes House

The six-hour gay marriage debate in the Minnesota House ended Saturday night with approval of the bill and a raucous response from gay rights activists gathered outside the chamber.

What began as shouts of "Just Vote No!" when voting commenced quickly gave way to tears on the faces of many who were present around the rotunda.

The 70-62 vote approving the measure split along party lines except four Republicans who opposed it and two DFLers who supported it.

Nearly everyone outside the chamber opposed the bill, which will let voters define marriage in the Minnesota Constitution as between a man and a woman. In the middle of the crowd, a supporter dressed in clerical clothing quietly said prayers while he and another woman gripped rosary beads.

"We've just begun to fight!" the crowd yelled in unison as DFL lawmakers gathered on the steps outside the chamber. Two openly gay members of the Legislature, Sen. Scott Dibble and Rep. Karen Clark, took center stage.

"We are going to roll out of this Capitol and we are going to roll across the plains and prairies of Minnesota and we are going to show Minnesota who we are!" Dibble said.

Inside the chamber, several Democrats walked to the desk of bill opponent Rep. John Kriesel to hug him and shake hands.

Groups of Republicans then left the chamber through a side entrance, where protesters greeted them with shouts of "Shame! Shame! Shame!" More than a dozen State Patrol officers guarded a packed rope line restraining the public. The measure's sponsor, Rep. Steve Gottwalt, elicited the loudest jeers.

"I thought that we had an opportunity to put this to bed I guess once and for all," said Rep. Tim Kelly, one of the GOP opponents. He added: "History is eventually going to overturn this."

As soon as the vote ended, attentions turned to the campaigns on both sides of the marriage debate that will attempt to win over voters before November 2012.

"We look forward to a respectful and civil conversation among Minnesotans about why the amendment should be adopted," said Jason Adkins, executive director of the Minnesota Catholic Conference. The organizaton supports the amendment.

U.S. Rep. Keith Ellison, who served in the Minnesota House, released a video shortly after in opposition to the bill. "The fact is, changing our constitution to lock some people out is a bad idea," Ellison said.

Republicans voting "no": Reps. Tim Kelly, John Kriesel, Rich Murray and Steve Smith. Democrats voting "yes": Reps. Denise Dittrich and Lyle Koenen. Full roll call below:

Rachel E. Stassen-Berger contributed to this report.

6320