REPLAY: Dayton Calls For Same-Sex Marriage

In Wednesday night's State of the State speech, Gov. Mark Dayton made a full-throated plea for the lawmakers to legalize same-sex marriage in Minnesota.

According to prepared text from the governor's speech sent to reporters, Dayton added this addendum:

Let me mention one other cause, which is controversial, but consistent with my faith and my principles. And, more importantly, consistent with this country’s founding principles and its Constitution. I believe that every Minnesotan should have the freedom to marry legally the person she or he loves, whether of the same or other sex.

Last year, Minnesotans began a conversation about why marriage matters, and we found our common belief that it is about love, commitment, and responsibility. I want Minnesota to be a state, which affirms that freedom for one means freedom for everyone, and where no one is told it is illegal to marry the person you love. 

In recent days, local groups like Minnesota Family Council have exhorted their Facebook followers and email newsletter subscribers to lobby their legislators against legalizing same-sex marriage, and accused pro-legalization campaigners of trying to "buy" votes in favor of same-sex marriage. 

"Minnesotans inherently understand that marriage is more than a government love license," Autumn Leva, a spokeswoman for Minnesota for Marriage, told the Star Tribune. "Authentic marriage is really about a personal promise with a public purpose that benefits everyone, especially kids, parents and our state's economy."