Iowa’s Republican party failed in its unholy mission to ban gay marriage yesterday:

House Minority Leader Christopher Rants, R-Sioux City, sought a vote on the measure, which has failed to gain approval in a House committee this year.

Rants tried a procedural vote that would have moved the measure, House Joint Resolution 8, out of committee and before the full House for a possible debate.

Rants’ maneuver failed on a 46-50 vote, with majority Democrats defeating it.

Rants said he was disappointed some Democrats, seven by his count, who have supported a constitutional amendment banning gay marriage in the past did not vote along with him this time.

“If those seven had voted with us, it would have passed, but I guess they will have to explain to their constituents why they flip-flopped on this issue.”

Rants spearheaded the issue when he pushed it from committee yesterday, so a double “Ha!” to him.