MADISON – Appearing 
confident and determined, State Representative JoCasta Zamarripa appeared on WITI television to say that she has made the legalization of same-sex marriage her priority issue for 2014.
Zamarripa, elected to represent the 8th Assembly District in Milwaukee’s near south side said, “We’re ready for marriage equality. The Legislature has to catch up at this point”. While Zamarripa has vowed to focus her energy to make Wisconsin a same-sex marriage state, Gov. Scott Walker says not on his watch. During an interview with WITI news, Governor Scott Walker said, “When I ran in 2010, I said the Governor has very little influence. Legally the Governor has no influence — and what I’ve said on that and any number of other social issues is I think they’re huge distractions from what I was elected to do, which is to help people create more jobs and balance the budget”.
Governor Walker said that making Wisconsin a same-sex marriage state is not a simple thing to do. “It would actually require a constitutional amendment, so you’re talking — even if everybody wanted to — and it’s still pretty evenly split on this — you’re talking about three years at the minimum” to make Wisconsin a same-sex marriage state, Gov. Walker said.
“The majority of Wisconsinites support marriage equality. We elected the first LGBT senator to leadership. It’s time now, and I want to take the lead,” Rep. Zamarripa said.
“We’re surrounded by states here in the Midwest that say ‘yes’ to marriage equality. It really tells us here in Wisconsin, it’s time for marriage equality,” Rep. Zamarripa said.
Laura Manriquez, who challenged Zamarripa for state assembly in 2012 stated, “for Zamarripa to make this issue her top priority in the legislature once again illustrates how out of touch she is. Her lack of regard for the majority of her constituents who are seeking economic relief is disturbing”.
