Romney bashes Iowa judge for striking down ban on gay marriage

Mitt Romney, who inveighed against gay marriage while governor in Massachusetts, wasted no time today excoriating a court decision in the first-caucus state of Iowa that struck down its law banning same-sex marriage.

"The ruling in Iowa today is another example of an activist court and unelected judges trying to redefine marriage and disregard the will of the people as expressed through Iowa's Defense of Marriage Act," Romney said in a statement issued by his campaign. "This once again highlights the need for a Federal Marriage Amendment to protect the traditional definition of marriage as between one man and one woman."

Six gay couples in Iowa, where Romney is leading Republican presidential contenders in the polls, had sued after being denied marriage licenses in Polk County. County officials are expected to appeal today's ruling to the Iowa Supreme Court, the Associated Press reported.

In 2004, Massachusetts became the first state to allow same-sex couples to marry after a decision by the state's highest court. Romney and other gay marriage foes failed in their bid to overturn the ruling. In June, state lawmakers voted to block a proposed constitutional amendment to ban gay marriage from going to the voters in 2008.