Local State Rep. 'Not Interested in Defining Marriage'

State Representative Connie Doepke (R—33B) knows even some of her most ardent supporters disagree with her on how to go about legally defining the word marriage. Doepke, along with most Republicans, supports a bill passed last month that will allow voters—rather than lawmakers—to decide exactly which Minnesotans have the right to wed. 

Doepke told Patch she appreciates the passionate arguments both for and against what has become known as the "Gay Marriage Amendment" and said her stance on the issue han't changed since her 2010 campaign.

"The reason I voted for it is because I don't feel as a legislator that it is my responsibility to define marriage," Doepke said. "In my district, we were definitely split on the issue."

Doepke said she received about 300 e-mails from constituents on both sides of the gay marriage amendment and tracked correspondence carefully.

"Half were in favor of it, and half of them were not," she said.

The definition of marriage in Minnesota and whether homosexual couples have to right to legally wed will be done via the ballot box during the 2012 elections. That, Doepke said, is the proper course of action.

"I really think the people of Minnesota have to define it," she said. "I've always told my constituents that I was never interested in changing the definition, but if the people in my district want to then I'm going to let them decide. I just think that's the fair way to do it as far as I'm concerned."

Governor Mark Dayton, along with most DFL lawmakers, oppose the gay marriage amendment, which passed both houses of the Legislature largely along party lines.