BY MICHAEL HAYNE

NEWJERSEYNEWSROOM.COM

Taking out of state trips to secure sufficient PAC money for his reelection and kissing the back sides of the right donors for his presumed 2016 presidential bid, Gov Christie seems to regard his reelection as a mere formality. Moreover, an audition for 2016 that will surely be played out in the best attack ads that money can buy from now until November. Although he may just want all of the millions in his war chest to serve as attack ads (he may not even bother to debate Barbara Buono) and new ways to show him as the savior of Superstorm Sandy, Christie has some pre-Sandy problems.

Christie irked many supporters of equality in 2011 (back when he was just the yelling Youtube guy) when he vetoed a gay marriage bill.

Here was Christie in 2011 on his Veto:

"I am adhering to what I've said since this bill was first introduced -- an issue of this magnitude and importance, which requires a constitutional amendment, should be left to the people of New Jersey to decide," Christie said in a statement. "I continue to encourage the Legislature to trust the people of New Jersey and seek their input by allowing our citizens to vote on a question that represents a profoundly significant societal change. This is the only path to amend our State Constitution and the best way to resolve the issue of same-sex marriage in our state."

Marriage is sacred bond between a man and his doughnut perhaps. Of course this was two years ago and support for gay marriage is considerably higher now. In fact, New Jersey supports the rights for gays to be just as miserable by a 53/36 margin. Perhaps this explains why the state's Democrats are doing whatever they can to override Christie's veto, even open to putting the question to voters in November if the override effort fails.

Assemblyman Reed Gusciora of Trenton, one of two openly gay state lawmakers, said Democratic leaders in the Senate and Assembly are in agreement to resurrect their efforts to make marriage equality a reality. Gusciora and company are even entertaining the possibility of putting the question to voters in November with Christie on the ballot. The governor, who is Catholic, opposes same-sex marriage. But Troy Stevenson, who recently took over as head of Garden State Equality, the state’s largest gay-rights organization. seems to feel that a ballot initiative would spell disaster. Further, stating that it's a very expensive and divisive fight and believing that an override is the way to go. The nasty, costly and drawn out fight for same-sex marriage in California which resulted in voters giving in to the right-wing attacks and voting in favor of a same-sex marriage ban in Prop 8 in 2008, could be weighing in on Stevenson's mind.

“We still believe override is the immediate goal,” he said.

Since Superstorm Sandy was a probably not a same-sex Hurricane, this is an issue that could cause a major migraine for Christie and his otherwise reelection formality.

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