NEW JERSEY: Two GOP Legislators Break With Christie On Gay Marriage

Two GOP members of the New Jersey Assembly, Rep. Declan O'Shannon and Rep. Holly Schepisi, say they will defy Gov. Chris Christie and vote for marriage equality.

O’Scanlon said there are likely to be more crossover votes. “The narrative that the governor strong-arms Republicans in the Legislature is false,’’ O’Scanlon said Wednesday. “I think you’ll see some other folks vote for it, but I don’t know exactly how many at this point. We’re some time away from that vote actually happening,’’ he said. In this week’s Monmouth University/Asbury Park Press poll, residents gave Christie a grade of C on marriage equality. Christie called the grade “pretty good’’ but said he doesn’t “sit up at night worrying what my grade is going to be.’’ “Listen, this is an issue that divides people. So to get a C, that means half the people think you’re good (on the issue of marriage equality),’’ Christie said.

The New Jersey legislative session ends in mid-January and a two-thirds majority vote is required to override Christie's veto. I haven't seen a whip count recently, so if anybody has a current one, please send it to me. The vote in February 2012 was 24-16 in the Senate and 42-33 in the Assembly.