Rights groups challenge new gay-marriage ban

'Great day for marriage'
Proposition 8 backers rejoiced.

"People believe in the institution of marriage," said Frank Schubert, co-manager of the Yes on 8 campaign. "It's one institution that crosses ethnic divides, that crosses partisan divides. ... People have stood up because they care about marriage and they care a great deal."

"This is a great day for marriage. The people of California stood up for traditional marriage and reclaimed this great institution," said Ron Prentice, chairman of ProtectMarriage.com — Yes on 8. "We are gratified that voters chose to protect traditional marriage and to enshrine its importance in the state constitution. We trust that this decision will be respected by all Californians."

With almost all precincts reporting, election returns showed the measure winning with 52 percent.

Exit polls for The Associated Press found that Proposition 8 received critical support from black voters who flocked to the polls to support Barack Obama for president. Blacks voted strongly in favor of the ban, while whites narrowly opposed it and Latinos and Asians were split.

Costly campaign
Amendments to ban gay marriage were also approved in Arizona and Florida — but such unions in those states were never legal.

Similar bans had prevailed in 27 states before Tuesday's elections, but none were in California's situation. About 18,000 gay couples, many of them from other states, married in California since the state Supreme Court ruling in May that overturned a 2000 ban. The state attorney general, Jerry Brown, has said those marriages will remain valid, although legal experts have said it will have to be resolved in court whether existing gay marriages would be nullified.

Spending for and against the amendment reached $74 million, making it the most expensive social-issues campaign in U.S. history and the most expensive campaign this year outside the race for the White House.

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