''The consequences are there, politically. But I'm not choosing votes based on what's politically correct. My vote is going to go to what I think is right on the issue when it's presented to me.... You hear such passion on both sides. I've come to see there's some percentage of people who are for it or opposed, and they're polarized. There's a fairly good-sized group who either don't care or don't care enough to call or think that we have more important things to be dealing with''

Vermont State Senator Matthew Choate [D-Caledonia] explaining why he voted for a bill to pass full marriage rights for gay and lesbian couples in that state, despite that fact that his district is said to lean conservative and receiving some 300 calls about the issue. (MassLive.com)