May 10, 2012

President Barack Obama's newly announced support for same-sex marriages adds an emotional new element to his re-election bid in Virginia, a battleground state he won in 2008 but where voters have consistently opposed it.

Obama, who once opposed gay marriage, is the first sitting president to announce his support for it in an ABC News interview Wednesday.

State Democratic chairman Brian Moran says it's probably a wash. Voters motivated by their opposition to gay marriage would never support Obama anyway, while marriage equality advocates and young voters will be energized.

University of Virginia political scientist Larry Sabato agreed, adding that the issue that will decide the election is still the economy.

But conservative Family Foundation leader Victoria Cobb says Obama will pay a price with conservative and faith-based voters.