Kentucky Gov. Steve Beshear (D) “will hire outside attorneys to appeal a federal judge’s ruling requiring Kentucky to recognize same-sex marriages from outside the state,” the Lexington Herald Leader reports.

“His announcement came minutes after a tearful Kentucky Attorney General Jack Conway said his office will not appeal the ruling, calling it a ‘waste’ of taxpayers’ money.”

Said Conway: “I can only say that I’m doing what I think is right.”

Conservative activists said that they “will continue to press for additional legal protections for private businesses that deny service to gay men and lesbians, saying that a defeat in Arizona this week is only a minor setback and that religious-liberty legislation is the best way to stave off a rapid shift in favor of gay rights,” the Washington Post reports.

However, the New York Times notes “the decision by members of the Republican establishment to join gay activists in opposing the bill reflected the alarm the Arizona battle stirred among party leaders, who worried about identifying their party with polarizing social issues at a time when Republicans see the prospect of big gains in Congressional elections on economic issues.”

“More than anything else, the division was a window into a Republican Party that remains torn on gay rights issues, be it the Arizona measure, same-sex marriage or permitting gay men and lesbians to serve openly in the military.”

The Week: How conservatives lost the culture war

A federal judge said that he would “issue a final order within 24 hours requiring Kentucky to immediately recognize same-sex marriages performed outside the state,” the Lexington Herald Leader reports.

Meanwhile, Attorney General Jack Conway (D) wants the judge “to delay for 90 days the impact of his expected order requiring Kentucky to recognize same-sex marriages performed in other states.”

Wonk Wire: Is gay marriage allowed in your state?

A federal judge in Texas ruled that the state’s ban on same-sex marriage “unconstitutionally deprives some citizens of due process and equal protection under the law by stigmatizing their relationships and treating them differently from opposite-sex couples,” the Dallas Morning News reports.

Wonk Wire: Is gay marriage allowed in your state?

Attorney General Eric Holder “injected the Obama administration into the emotional and politicized debate over the future of state same-sex marriage bans, declaring in an interview that state attorneys general are not obligated to defend laws that they believe are discriminatory,” the New York Times reports.

“It is highly unusual for the United States attorney general to advise his state counterparts on how and when to refuse to defend state laws. But Mr. Holder said when laws touch on core constitutional issues like equal protection, an attorney general should apply the highest level of scrutiny before reaching a decision on whether to defend it. He said the decision should never be political or based on policy objections.”

“The legal campaign for marriage equality is picking up speed, moving at a pace that has surprised even longtime advocates and increasing the likelihood of a definitive Supreme Court test as early as next year,” the Los Angeles Times reports.

“Efforts by some lawyers to plan a careful strategy for which cases to push forward to the high court have largely been put aside amid a rush of lower-court rulings striking down bans on same-sex marriage… Increasingly, the judges are saying they can see no legitimate justification for denying marriage licenses to same-sex couples. With the Supreme Court having said that states cannot validly base marriage laws on traditional religious disapproval of homosexuality, the remaining justifications offered to defend the laws fail to pass muster.”

“A federal judge struck down Virginia’s same-sex marriage ban, finding that it violates the equal protection clause under the 14th Amendment to the United States Constitution,” the Richmond Times Dispatch reports.

New York Times: “The ruling, which overturned a constitutional amendment adopted by Virginia voters in 2006 as well as previous laws, also said that Virginia must respect same-sex marriages that were carried out legally in other states.”

Wonk Wire notes the federal government will soon treat married same-sex couples the same as heterosexual couples when they file for bankruptcy or testify in court.

Ted Olson and David Boies, “the star legal duo who defied skeptics by successfully challenging California’s ban on same-sex marriage, are seeking to play a central role in the next round of marriage cases that appear to be on a fast track to the high court. But in doing so, they have touched off a debate over who gets the coveted job of arguing what could be a landmark gay rights decision,” the New York Times reports.

“In an atmosphere of rapidly shifting opinions on gay marriage, nearly two dozen Indiana House Republicans bucked their leadership to strip a same-sex marriage ban of the clause opponents find most objectionable,” the Indianapolis Star reports.

“If the altered version is adopted by both chambers of the General Assembly, the measure would not go to voters this November as supporters — including Gov. Mike Pence — would like. The full House is expected to vote Tuesday on the altered resolution, which might not make it to voters until 2016.”

In an attempt to prevent same-sex marriages in Oklahoma, state Rep. Mike Turner (R) is considering stopping all marriages, News 9 reports.

Virginia Attorney General Mark Herring (D) “will announce today that after a legal review, he has concluded that Virginia’s ban on same-sex marriage is unconstitutional,” the Richmond Times Dispatch reports.

Said a spokesman: “The attorney general has concluded that the ban violates the 14th Amendment of the United States Constitution on two grounds — one, marriage is a fundamental right being denied to some Virginians, and two, the ban unlawfully discriminates on a basis of sexual orientation and gender.”

Washington Post: “The action will mark a stunning reversal in the state’s legal position on same-sex marriage and is a result of November elections in which Democrats swept the state’s top offices. Herring’s predecessor, Republican Ken Cuccinelli II, adamantly opposes gay marriage and had vowed to defend Virginia’s constitutional amendment banning such unions, which was passed in 2006 with the support of 57% of voters.”

First Read: “This might not be the attention that new Gov. Terry McAuliffe wanted
early in his term, but it’s another reminder that elections (especially
when you sweep GOV/Lt.GOV/AG) have consequences.”

Houston Mayor Annise Parker married her life partner of 23 years, Kathy Hubbard, in California, the Houston Chronicle reports.

Said Parker: “This is a very happy day for us. We have had to wait a very long time to formalize our commitment to each other. Kathy has been by my side for more than two decades, helping to raise a family, nurture my political career and all of the other ups and down and life events that come with a committed relationship.”

A Salt Lake Tribune poll “shows that Utahns’ views on same-sex couples’ relationships have dramatically shifted in the decade since voters amended the state’s constitution to prohibit them from receiving any legal recognition.”

“Residents are now evenly split on whether same-sex couples in Utah should be allowed to get state-issued marriage licences — 48% for and 48% against — and nearly three-fourths (72% said same-sex couples should be allowed to form civil unions or domestic partnerships in lieu of marriage.”

Rep. Louie Gohmert (R-TX) said federal judges ruling on same sex-marriage cases “need some basic plumbing lessons,” according to Roll Call.

He summed up the recent decisions of judges as saying, “Basically, we haven’t seen any biological evidence to support marriage being between a man and a woman.”

A federal judge in Oklahoma ruled that “the state’s constitutional amendment barring same-sex marriage violated the federal Constitution, the latest in a string of legal victories for gay rights and one that occurred in the heart of the Bible Belt,” the New York Times reports.

“The decision will not take effect immediately, and Oklahoma is almost certain to appeal, leaving prospects uncertain for gay couples in the state.”

Rep. Sean Patrick Maloney (D-NY) will marry his longtime partner, designer Randy Florke, CNN reports.

Said Maloney: “After 21 years together, we are excited for the next step in our journey as a family. For decades, we’ve fought to ensure that all families can experience the joys of loving commitment and we are proud to have our friends and family share this special moment with us in the near future.”

The U.S. Supreme Court “put same-sex marriages in Utah on hold, granting the state’s request for a stay while it appeals a ruling that laws banning such marriages are unconstitutional,” the Salt Lake Tribune reports.

“The court said the stay would be in place until the 10th Circuit Court of Appeals in Denver makes a decision on Utah’s appeal.”

Rick Hasen: “This is no surprise. Recognizing a constitutional right to same sex marriage is a big deal, which requires thought, consideration and preparation in the public if this is going to happen through the courts. In Utah, one of the most conservative states in the union, we went all of a sudden overnight from no gay marriage to gay marriage. There was little indication for those not following developments it would happen. I think it did happen because Utah’s lawyers continually botched their stay requests, and the Judge was following the arguments that were presented to him. And once things started, Utah botched again how it handled its request in the 10th Circuit.”

National Journal: “The status of some 1,000 same sex marriages that have occurred since the ruling remains unclear.”