Supporters of Iowa Supreme Court Justice Focus on Equality

FILE - In this Jan. 24, 2012, file photo Iowa Supreme Court Justice David Wiggins, right, participates in a discussion in Des Moines, Iowa. Wiggins isn�t well known outside the legal community of his state, but whether he should keep his job has become one of the most fiercely contested judicial issues on the Nov. 6 ballot because of what he symbolizes in the debate over gay marriage. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall, File)

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By Katie Stinson

Story Created: Oct 22, 2012 at 10:58 AM CDT

Story Updated: Oct 22, 2012 at 1:48 PM CDT

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — Supporters of Supreme Court Justice David Wiggins are hoping that a campaign stressing Iowa's history of equality will convince voters to reject a conservative effort to oust him for approving same-sex marriage.

Wiggins' critics want voters to remove him in the Nov. 6 election, claiming he and his colleagues abused their power when they voided Iowa's ban on gay marriage in a 7-0 ruling in 2009.

They are hoping for a repeat of 2010, when voters fired three justices. But this year, the state's legal establishment and liberal groups are mounting a stronger campaign for Wiggins.

Wiggins' supporters say the gay marriage decision is in line with the Iowa Supreme Court's history of leading on issues such as outlawing slavery and school segregation and allowing the nation's first female lawyer.

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