Pro-marriage campaigners in the US have won a major victory after the
lower house in the state of Maryland halted a proposal to legalise same-sex marriage after meeting unexpectedly strong
opposition, especially in African-American districts.

The defeat happened despite the fact that Maryland
is traditionally a strong Democratic state.

Brian Brown, the president of the National Marriage
Organisation (NOM) said that the “quiet, under-reported, but extraordinary
outpouring of opposition to redefining marriage” from the people of Maryland
was responsible for the result.

A fortnight ago, observers believed that the
bill would pass easily through the House of Delegates after the legislation
cleared the Senate, generally considered the state’s more conservative chamber.

But opposition from the constituents of some
wavering members led the House on Friday to return the bill to committee, a
tacit acknowledgment that it lacked enough votes to pass during this year’s
session.

The General Assembly will not consider the
measure again before next January at the earliest.

Nancy C. Jacobs, the leader of the Republican
opposition said that the Senate vote in favour of the legislation “was
definitely a wake-up call”.

“It got the Churches involved. It got people involved. Quite
frankly, I thought it was going to fly through the House. But once delegates
started hearing from their constituents, they started thinking twice.”

The bill was not popular among
African-American lawmakers from Prince George’s County, who cited religious
opposition in their districts, as well as conservative Democrats in Southern
Maryland and the Baltimore suburbs.

Black Democrats in Prince George’s County,
listening to the outpouring of opposition from their African-American
constituents, played a particularly key role in this effort to protect marriage
and endured some especially ugly attacks.

“Delegate Emmett Burns told the press he
was called the N-word for failing to vote the way white urban liberals wanted
him to vote. The courage of these Democrats is extraordinary and very inspiring
to those of us in the forefront of the battle to protect marriage,” said
Maggie Gallagher, Chairman of NOM.

Some delegates said they
were surprised by the strength of the opposition in their home districts.
Others, particularly new members of the House, said they need more time to
weigh the issues of civil rights and religion.

“I’m taking the courageous stance,”
said Del. C.T. Wilson (D-Charles), one of several members who said during
debate that he would not bend to pressure to vote for the bill. “I have
not had a chance to take this to my constituents and get their opinion,”
he said.

House leaders said they remained one or two
votes shy of a majority but predicted that the outcome could be different next
year after lawmakers, particularly the chamber’s 30 freshmen, have more time to
consider the matter.

Democratic Governor Governor Martin O’Malley,
who had lobbied some delegates behind the scenes but not played a very visible
role in recent weeks, said he was “disappointed” by Friday’s action.

The Maryland Constitution allows citizens to
force public votes on newly passed legislation if they collect enough
signatures. A successful petition drive would have put the same-sex marriage
measure on hold pending the outcome of a statewide vote in November 2012.

Mr Brown pledged that NOM would support
Democratic legislators who opposed the bill “over the long haul”.

NOM had announced the formation of the NOM
PAC Maryland earlier last week, pledging $1 million in funding to support
Democratic state legislators who cast their votes to defend traditional
marriage and oppose any Republican legislators who voted to redefine marriage.