Prop. 8 opponents rely on Villaraigosa

By Aurelio Rojas
arojas@sacbee.com
Published: Monday, Nov. 03, 2008
On the eve of the historic referendum on gay marriage in California, opponents of the proposed marriage ban today turned to Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa to make their closing arguments.

Villaraigosa's starring role comes after supporters of Proposition 8 made San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom the face of their campaign to end gay marriage in the state.

Both mayors have been mentioned as possible Democratic candidates for governor in 2010.

But Villaraigosa was chosen by the "No on 8" campaign to make more than a dozen radio and television appearances today with stations around the state.

Like Newsom, Villaraigosa has long been an ally of gay causes; as speaker of the Assembly in the late 1990s, he ushered through a package of gay rights bills.

But Newsom, who as mayor ordered the San Francisco officials to issue marriage licenses to gays, has been targeted in ads by the "Yes on 8" campaign.

In one TV ad he is seen gloating, after the state Supreme Court overturned a 2000 voter-imposed ban gay marriages: "The door is wide-open now. . . . It's going to happen whether you like it or not."

In a subsequent ad, Newsom was taken to task for officiating the wedding of a lesbian teacher attended by first-grade students.

Newsom later said he was unaware the first-graders were taken out of class for the event. School officials said the students' parents signed permission slips. He has continued to campaign against the initiative and raise money for the effort, said Ali Bay, spokeswoman for No on 8 campaign. She said Newsom will appear Tuesday at what the campaign hopes will be a victory party.


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Call Aurelio Rojas, Bee Capitol Bureau, (916) 326-5545.