Despite longstanding attempts by conservatives to use antigay initiatives as a way to energize “values voters,” Americans are becoming less opposed to marriage equality and increasingly unlikely to base their vote on antigay and antitransgender measures.  In fact, a majority of Americans now support extending the rights and responsibilities of marriage to same-sex couples.

This majority includes millions of religious people, forcing conservatives to rethink their campaign strategies and pressuring religious institutions and hierarchies to acknowledge changing attitudes in the pews. The 2012 campaign in particular has seen a dramatic switch. Many political leaders are now proudly proclaiming support for marriage equality, while opponents of the freedom to marry are being forced to recognize the shrinking appeal of their claims.

That was the message line on the Rev. Mark Tidd's e-mail to members of Highlands Church, an evangelical congregation in Denver. Sent two days after Republicans in the state House killed a bill allowing gay couples to form civil unions, Tidd wasn't congratulating his Christian parishioners on a victory won, but urging them to keep up the 

Tidd and other Coloradans could probably identify with President Obama's discussion of his "evolution" when he announced his support for gay marriage last week.

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