3 Dem Senators, 1 GOP Cross On Minnesota Gay Marriage

ST. PAUL (AP) — Three Democrats and one Republican senator are crossover votes on the Minnesota gay marriage bill is about to become law.

Democratic Sens. Dan Sparks of Austin, LeRoy Stumpf of Plummer and Lyle Koenen of Clara City voted Monday against allowing same-sex couples to marry. On the flip side, GOP Sen. Branden Petersen of Andover joined the rest of the Democratic majority in passing the bill.

Petersen says he was hopeful that more Republicans would have broken ranks, and some told reporters that they were undecided up until the vote.

Sparks and Koenen say they were reflecting the will of their district. Those senators represent areas that supported a constitutional ban on gay marriage last fall. Sparks says it was "by far" his toughest vote ever.