GenQ - For the not so straight individual

The ammendment failed thus delivering an embarassing defeat to President Bush and Republicans who hoped to use the measure as a way to energize conservative voters on Election Day.

Supporters of the ammendment knew they wouldn't achieve the two-thirds vote needed to approve a constitutional amendment, but they had predicted a gain in votes over the last time the issues was proposed just before the 2004 elections. Instead, they lost one vote for the amendment in a procedural test tally that ended up 49-48.

Supporters lost two key voters this time from Sen. Judd Gregg, R-New Hampshire., who has changed his mind since 2004, and another from Sen. Chuck Hagel, R-Nebraska, who did not vote this time because he was traveling with Bush.

According to an ABC News, the majority of Americans define marriage as a union of a man and a woman, as the proposed amendment does; however an equal majority opposes amending the Constitution on this issue, the poll found.