A lot of those who are out of touch are relatively young. The problem for them and the GOP nationally, is that the electorate is no longer dominated by straight white men and their Stepford wives. We saw this with the overwhelming break in the last election of Asian Americans and Latinoa for Obama. The raw demographics and culture would have suggested they are more sympathetic to the Republicans, but the “straight white men only” platform chased both groups away, and in to the Obama camp.

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For sure, decisions by the Supreme Court (less than 6 months from now), future executive action by the president, plus relocating employers fearful of competition for (and potential discrimination lawsuits by) its high-tech, educated workforce will beat, by a long mile, any serious political action for LGBTs likely to come out of Richmond’s GOP wackos.

Still, public opinion continues to improve all across Virginia, even now, as more LGBT natives come out and new LGBT arrivals create emerging local realities. Aging, out of touch Richmond legislative committee members don’t see those changes, nor do they care to see them.

Delegate Krupicka’s comment is really spot on. Most Virginians– and most of both parties, I think– take the view that what’s bad for business is bad for Virginia. When discrimination clearly becomes bad for the Commonwealth’s business climate, especially from federal action, I think things will change very rapidly.

Even just a SCOTUS strike-down this June of DOMA’s Section 3 will have a profound impact on hastening that whole process. Of course a broad SCOTUS decision in favor of Prop 8 Plaintiff’s position in June, basically affirming Judge Walker’s decision, will sweep aside Virginia’s and all other state constitutional marriage equality bans and state DOMAs.

In that happy event, Virginia businesses, their lawyers and maybe even crustacean legislators will quickly move to prevent discrimination lawsuits in the workplace, too. On the other hand, if SCOTUS votes for more incremental change, then Virginian’s public opinion will continue to improve, but prevailing for LGBTs a good bit later.

Even at our most pessimistic, it is hard to imagine– given SCOTUS’ past decisions, its current L/R makeup, as well as Chief Justice Roberts’ surprising left turn on health care reform last term– that the combined outcome of both cases will be anything but a net positive impact for LGBT marriage equality and LGBT workplace discrimination protection efforts across the nation.

LGBT issues aside, Virginia is still looking slightly ‘bluer’. Both of its Democratic U.S. senators are popular. Its new Senator Tim Kane will even likely be a bit more to the left of just-retired Democratic Senator Jim Webb. The bigotry of George Allen’s/ GOP ‘brand’ was decisively rejected by Virginians TWICE in a row– over a six-year time span.

LGBT population strongholds in Northern Virgina, Richmond and Tidewater continue to grow. Moreover, to the west, aside from its sheer beauty, the Blue Ridge/ US 29 and I-81 corridors– with their strong education bases– have become a noticeable draw for LGBTs migrating to the Charlottesville, Harrisonburg, Roanoke/Salem and Blacksburg areas.

Outside of Richmond’s petty state politics, I think for LGBT Virginians, the Commonwealth is clearly a ‘purpling’ state with a decidedly UP blue trend line going forward.