The marriage debate, as we know, is heating up again in New York. This from the Wall Street Journal:

"...the [SSM] bill is still a hard sell for a number of Republicans, even those in more moderate districts. An important factor is pressure from the state Conservative Party, a small but influential third party that has given a number of vulnerable Republicans a decisive boost in tight races.

Conservative Party chairman Michael Long said the state party wouldn't endorse any Republican who votes for the bill. "I feel very strongly that we will prevail. We consider it a line in the sand and very detrimental to a legislator if he or she votes to destroy marriage as we know it," he said.

Brian Ellner with the Human Rights Campaign replied:

"We will obviously be disappointed if the Conservative Party decides to make a position of conscience a litmus test for electoral support..."

Life, marriage and religious liberty--yes, those are all issues of conscience.