In a surprising development in Idaho politics, several Republican lawmakers have changed their stance on a proposal asking the U.S. Supreme Court to overturn the landmark marriage equality decision Obergefell v. Hodges. While the measure still passed the state House, it did so with noticeably less support than a similar effort just one year ago.
The vote highlights a small but meaningful shift in the conversation around same-sex marriage in Idaho, where marriage equality has been legal for over a decade.
RELATED: Ten Years After Marriage Equality, Obergefell Faces Its First Direct Challenge
Revisiting Marriage Equality in Idaho
The debate centers on a legislative memorial urging the U.S. Supreme Court to reconsider Obergefell v. Hodges, the 2015 ruling that legalized same-sex marriage across the United States.
Same-sex marriage has technically been legal in Idaho since 2014, following a federal appeals court ruling in a separate case. Still, some lawmakers have continued pushing resolutions asking the Supreme Court to revisit the national ruling.
In 2026, the Idaho House of Representatives voted again on a memorial similar to one introduced in 2025. This time, however, the outcome showed a shift: 17 Republican lawmakers joined every Democrat in voting against it.
The final vote was 44 in favor and 26 against.
That number represents two additional “no” votes compared with last year’s version of the measure.
When Politics Meets Religion
One of the most notable moments during the debate came from Grayson Stone, who was filling in for a sick Twin Falls lawmaker and is currently running for the seat himself. Stone openly challenged the idea that religious interpretation should guide legislative decisions. “At the risk of probably committing political suicide … this entire argument is rooted in the Bible,” Stone said during the discussion.
He went on to point out the inconsistencies he sees in using religious texts to shape modern laws. Stone noted that some biblical passages even include instructions about shaving and personal grooming.
“I just don’t understand why we have to apply the Bible to specific aspects of our life, but not all of it. So I will be voting against this bill.”
His vote was one of the changes that contributed to the shift in numbers compared with the previous year.
The Bill’s Supporters Stand Firm
Despite the growing opposition, supporters of the memorial say they believe states should be able to define marriage according to their own standards.
Rep. Tony Wisniewski, the Republican lawmaker who sponsored the resolution, argued that the measure was not meant to invalidate existing relationships.
“It is not the intent of overturning the Obergefell decision to tear apart bonds,” Wisniewski said. Adding, “Those are something that are innate to us as humans. What we object to is the debasing of the term of marriage to that of something that is abhorrent to many of us.”
Even so, the proposal remains largely symbolic for now. A similar memorial passed the House in 2025 but was never taken up by the Idaho Senate.
Some Republicans Change Course
Two Republican lawmakers who previously supported the effort changed their votes this year.
Rep. Dori Healey of Boise and Rep. Mike Pohanka of Jerome both voted in favor of the resolution in 2025 but voted against it in 2026. While Healey declined to comment publicly, Pohanka explained his reasoning in remarks to the Idaho Statesman.
“My religious beliefs have not changed any. I thought we advanced it last year,” Pohanka said. “This year, to me, it’s just going to cause hurt and pain and I don’t want to do that.”
Pohanka also emphasized that he represents a wide range of constituents and wanted to shift attention back to other legislative priorities.
Public Opinion Is Slowly Changing
Like many states across the country, public opinion in Idaho appears to be gradually shifting on marriage equality.
Polling data specific to the state is limited, but a 2022 Idaho Statesman poll found that 49% of respondents supported legal same-sex marriage.
Marriage statistics also show the presence of LGBTQ+ couples in the state. In 2023, just under 400 same-sex or partner-and-partner couples were married in Idaho, out of nearly 14,000 total marriages.
While those numbers represent a small portion of marriages overall, they also reflect the everyday reality of same-sex couples building families and communities in the state.
What Happens Next?
It remains uncertain whether the current memorial will gain traction beyond the Idaho House. The previous version stalled in the Senate, and there is no guarantee that lawmakers there will take it up this time either.
Still, the vote reveals something noteworthy: even in a conservative state like Idaho, some lawmakers are beginning to question whether revisiting marriage equality debates is worth the political and social cost.
For LGBTQ+ residents and allies, the shift in votes suggests that conversations about equality—even in unexpected places—are continuing to evolve.
REFERENCE: Idaho Statesman