The Seven States (Or More) That Could See Marriage Equality In 2013

The Supreme Court is taking up two cases related to the marriage rights of gay and lesbian couples, three states' voters approved marriage equality at the polls in November, and conservative former House Speaker Newt Gingrich said this past week he can accept the "reality" of marriage between same-sex couples as a "legal document issued by the state." In his comments to The Huffington Post, Gingrich said, "[T]he reality is going to be that in a number of American states — and it will be more after 2014 — gay relationships will be legal, period." Coming off the victories in Maryland, Maine, and Washington — as well as the defeat of an amendment to ban same-sex couples from marrying in Minnesota — there are several states where advocates are looking to move on marriage equality in the coming months. As Freedom to Marry's national campaign director, Marc Solomon, told BuzzFeed, "It's crucially important during the next six months to build on the powerful momentum of the four ballot victories and win additional states, creating the most favorable climate possible for the U.S. Supreme Court to rule our way." Here's a look at the seven states — or, depending on the Supreme Court, more — where advocates hope to see marriage equality in the first six months of 2013.