After meeting to discuss a marriage equality bill yesterday, New Jersey Democrats failed to schedule the measure for a vote in the Assembly.  Some Democrats worry they will be seen as “distracted by social issues,” in the Assembly’s lame duck session during tough economic times.  The New York Times reports:

Other Democrats worried that if they passed a same-sex-marriage bill while Mr. Corzine was on his way out of office, they might anger voters, energize Mr. Christie’s conservative base and alienate socially traditional Democrats.

With Mr. Christie scheduled to take office on Jan. 19, supporters of the proposal are under pressure to move quickly. Lawmakers and gay-rights advocates say they are confident they can get the measure through the General Assembly.

But Senate Democrats met to discuss the measure on Monday and — despite intense lobbying from a coalition of gay-rights advocates and other groups — did not schedule it for a vote, because they appeared unable to muster the 21 votes needed to pass it. A few Republicans have said they may support the bill, but several of the 23 Democrats have expressed reservations about it. Senator Loretta Weinberg, a sponsor of the bill, who spent the fall campaigning as Mr. Corzine’s running mate, said that despite her colleagues’ post-election apprehensions, she believed that lawmakers would make New Jersey the latest state to legalize gay marriage.

Reed Gusciora, the only openly gay member of the Assembly, accused his fellow members of “putting political expediency before public policy.”

Meanwhile the anti-gay group National Organization for Marriage has launched a $500,000 campaign to dissuade Assembly members from taking up marriage equality in the waning days of the Corzine administration.  The group is airing radio ads and sending mailers to voters urging them to call legislators.