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Georgia Democrat state rep switches to GOP over gay marriage

State Rep. Rick CrawfordState Rep. Rick Crawford of Cedartown has decided to switch to the GOP over the issue of gay marriage.

Atlanta Unfiltered first reported that Crawford said if he wins reelection on November he will switch parties and become a Republican. Why? He doesn't believe in same-sex marriage.

From Atlanta Unfiltered:

Crawford, who had been pondering his party affiliation for a while, said Democrats’ endorsement of same-sex marriage pushed him over the edge. “I thought, ‘My time here is done,’” he said.

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Wedding: Where you can legally wed

Georgia has banned gay marriage twice — by law in 1996 and by an amendment to the state constitution in 2004. That means you’ll have to travel if you want to wed where your marriage is legally recognized.

Since neither Georgia nor the federal government will acknowledge gay marriages from other states, you won’t bring any new legal rights home from your trip. That leads some couples to opt instead to simply tie the knot here.

But for others, it’s an important personal or political statement to say “I do” where gay couples are given full equality under the law. You might choose a destination wedding in one of these jurisdictions where same-sex marriage is legal, or have a small legal ceremony there followed by a larger ceremony or celebration back in Georgia.

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Georgia lesbian lawmaker brings power to the people from within the Gold Dome

Simone Bell, Georgia's first lesbian African-American state lawmaker

An activist with Lambda Legal, the Atlanta Lesbian Health Initiative and numerous other organizations, Simone Bell was familiar with rallying outside of the State Capitol, chanting and urging legislators inside the building to listen to their concerns.

“It’s really interesting being on the other side of the table,” said Bell (D-Atlanta), who took her seat as the state representative for District 58 in January after winning a special election and runoff last November and December.