DAVID CRARY, AP National Writer
NEW YORK (AP) — Same-sex marriage cases are cascading through the federal courts, and Republican politicians are finding themselves split into three camps.
There’s a small but growing number in favor of legalizing gay marriage.
There’s a hard-core faction that continues to denounce it.
And there’s a sizable group in between that seems to wish the issue would disappear.
At one end of the spectrum, at least eight GOP members of Congress have endorsed same-sex marriage.
Two openly gay GOP candidates are hoping to win House seats in Massachusetts and California.
On the other flank, conservative Republicans in Congress have introduced legislation seeking to protect states from being forced to recognize same-sex marriages.
Then there’s the large group in middle, not ready to embrace same-sex marriage but wary of antagonizing its supporters.