In Bismarck, North Dakota, the Senate decisively turned down a proposal on Thursday that sought to have the U.S. Supreme Court reconsider its landmark 2015 decision, which legalized same-sex marriage across the nation.
If it had been approved, North Dakota would have been the pioneering state to formally request this of the Supreme Court, following the measure’s earlier passage in the state House last month.
The motion was defeated by a vote of 16 against and 31 in favor after approximately ten minutes of discussion. During the debate, Democratic Senator Josh Boschee expressed his dissent, highlighting the difficult position the resolution placed on certain individuals. “I understand that this puts us all in a tough spot, but I ask you to think about who’s put in the toughest position with this resolution: the people of North Dakota who are the subject of the resolution… the gay and lesbian North Dakotans who did not ask to be the subject of this conversation, but the conversation was brought to us,” Boschee articulated.
In contrast, Republican Senator David Clemens defended the proposal, arguing that the U.S. Constitution does not explicitly address marriage, whereas the North Dakota Constitution defines marriage as a union between a man and a woman. Clemens emphasized that he has a duty to uphold the state document.
When the outcome of the vote was announced, a number of people in the gallery applauded the defeat of the measure, signaling their support for the current status of same-sex marriage rights.
The resolution had been propelled by MassResistance, an organization based in Massachusetts, which also promoted similar actions in other states. The group describes itself as an “international pro-family group.” However, it has been identified as an “anti-LGBTQ hate group” by GLAAD, a well-known LGBTQ+ advocacy group.
