Gay Marriage Battle Entangles Pa. Governor

Unpopular governor standing behind ban that has become unpopular

Defending a divisive gay marriage ban is probably not the fight Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Corbett would have chosen 15 months ahead of an election he's widely expected to lose. A majority of Pennsylvanians now support same-sex marriage, a dramatic shift from just a few years ago.

But the issue has been thrust in the first-term Republican's lap — and the politics may not be all bad for him.

Corbett's decision to stand by the state's 1996 ban will help shore up his shaky support among Republicans and all but eliminates the possibility of a primary challenge from the right, strategists said.