House Dem says fight over same-sex marriage is over in the United States

Rep. Mark Pocan (D-Wis.), one of eight openly gay or bisexual members of the current Congress, said over the weekend that fight over same-sex marriage in the United States is over, after a recent Supreme Court decision effectively legalized these marriages in five states.

Pocan spoke less than a week after the high court let stand lower court rulings that struck down state-level bans on same-sex marriage. Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker (R) was hoping for a Supreme Court review of those decisions, but when the Court didn't take up those cases, even Walker admitted the fight is "over."

Pocan said in an interview with an ABC News affiliate in Wisconsin that same-sex marriage is now here to stay.

"[W]e now know definitely that marriage equality is legal in the state of Wisconsin and many other states," Pocan said.

"I think the fact that the governor is reading the tea leaves as they're about to blow off the table isn't exactly magnanimous," he added. "But the fact that Michele Bachmann [R-Wis.] and Scott Walker now are throwing in the towel tells me the polling tells them, it's time to throw in the towel. The public supports marriage equality."

Bachmann, who is not running for re-election, has said recently that gay marriage is "not an issue," a comment some see as a sign that many Republicans will no longer fight the issue.

The Supreme Court's decision not to interfere with the lower court ruling immediately made same-sex marriage legal in Indiana, Oklahoma, Utah, Virginia and Wisconsin. But it was also seen as a precursor to allowing same-sex marriage in other states.

Pocan said it's possible the Supreme Court could consider the issue if a lower court makes an alternative finding, one that the high court would have to reconcile. But he said that's less likely, and said the Supreme Court could decide to make a ruling in favor of same-sex marriage once a critical mass of states legalizes it.

"I don't think you'll get any different decision, but there could be an action that clears it up for everyone else," he said.

To his point, a federal judge over the weekend ruled against Alaska's ban on gay marriage.