Wisconsin's hate amendment now 60% of the way

No on the Amendment pretty much live-blogged the state senate debate and vote today. It was disappointing, but not surprising, that the senate approved the measure on party lines, 19-14. That number is closer, as two Dems who voted yes in 2004 voted no today, Sen. Dave Hansen (D-Green Bay) and Sen. Roger Breske (D-Town of Eland). Here's the press release, in convenient one-sentence paragraph form:

Statement on Senate Vote for Civil Unions & Marriage Ban by No on the Amendment Campaign Manager Mike Tate

Madison -- Every day that we explain the constitutional ban on civil unions, domestic partnerships and marriage to the people of Wisconsin, we gain votes.

Today's vote in the Wisconsin Senate backs that up.

Since 2004, we gained two senators--Senators Hansen and Breske--producing a much narrower margin of support for this amendment. Every senator represents 160,000 Wisconsinites.

We had time to change the hearts and minds of Wisconsin senators, and we have much more time to change the hearts and minds of Wisconsin voters.

All along, we expected Republican party bosses to send the amendment to the November 2006 ballot. And all along, we've been talking to voters across this state.

Over the next several months, we will multiply the grassroots operation we have already put in place in every region of Wisconsin.

We will continue to tell the stories of gay families across the state who will be hurt by the amendment. We will continue to explain how this amendment goes to far by banning civil unions and domestic partnerships. And we will continue to work with a broad coalition of diverse, gay and non-gay organizations.

A majority of Wisconsin voters will reject this harmful and far- reaching amendment in November 2006. We have 335 more days to talk to Wisconsin voters about the far reaching consequences of this amendment, we will fight every day for every vote.

We are ready for this fight, and we will win this fight.

The last 40%--the Assembly and the general election in 2006--will be hard fights. Are you ready?