For Madaleno, Marriage Equality Debate Hits Close to Home

The debate over same-sex marriage is a personal one for Sen. Rich Madaleno.

The Kensington resident is Maryland's first openly gay senator, and he told The Washingtonian that discussions about equality in the Assembly often hit close to home.

"As respectful and dignified as the debate on the floor was, it was still difficult to sit and listen to your life being debated," he told the magazine. "... this idea of the slippery slope to societal breakdown — even if no one is saying 'you,' you don't appreciate being told your life is leading to the downfall of American civilization — especially from people who are already on their second marriages."

Madaleno is profiled in this month's issue of the magazine, and some of his colleagues say the senator's leadership in the same-sex marriage debate is driven as much by his skills as a lawmaker as his devotion to his family.

"He's been important in humanizing this issue for lots of the state's leading elected officials," Sen. Jamie Raskin told The Washingtonian. "... His presence meant this was not an abstract question of political philosophy but a matter of the rights of one of our members and his family."

Last year, Maryland's same-sex marriage bill , but this year, with , some supporters are optimistic it will pass.

You can read the whole feature on Madaleno in this month's issue of The Washingtonian.