Same-Sex Marriage Ruled Out in New York, Georgia

Yesterday's rulings end the two cases because they involve challenges to state laws that cannot be appealed to federal courts.

In New York and Georgia, the rulings produced swift ripple effects onto state politics, including gubernatorial elections this fall. New York's outgoing Gov. George E. Pataki (R) said he will veto any legislation that would allow same-sex marriages, as he praised the court for preserving "what has been the law of this state for over 200 years."

The GOP candidate who hopes to succeed him, former state legislator John Faso, echoed Pataki's sentiment, saying, "Same-sex marriage runs contrary to the religious traditions of millions of New Yorkers of all faiths."

The Democratic candidate for governor, Eliot Spitzer, as state attorney general has defended New York's definition of marriage. Yesterday, Spitzer said that work does not reflect his personal beliefs. "Should that law be changed? Yes," he said.

In Georgia, Sonny Perdue, running for reelection as the state's first Republican governor in 135 years, said in the spring that he would call the legislature into special session if the state Supreme Court sided with a lower court judge who struck down the constitutional amendment.

At a news briefing yesterday, he praised the higher court's unanimous ruling. "When we do a constitutional amendment, we are very respectful of the people's voice," he said. "Gay Georgians are free to work and to live their lives -- they're just not free to marry in Georgia."

Staff writer Michelle Garc?a in New York contributed to this report.