Courting Florida's Gay Vote

Making an early play for Florida's substantial gay vote, the leading Democratic contender for governor of the Sunshine State in 2010 criticized the state's ban on adoption by gays.

Alex Sink's comments were made at a Sunday fund-raiser in Fort Lauderdale for the group Equality Florida. The current chief financial officer of Florida backed away from expressly calling for a reversal of the state's ban on gay adoption -- the only explicit ban of its kind -- instead saying children should be allowed to be placed with gay parents if it serves their "best interest."

"We need a system in which all of our children are assured that they live in a healthy, loving home -- a home that's determined not by any law,'' Sink said, according to The Miami Herald. The Republican front-runner for governor -- current attorney general Bill McCollum -- is supportive of the ban, and his office is currently defending it in court against a North Miami gay couple.

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