Gay Marriage Likely to be Topic in Florida AG Debate

Gay marriage is likely to be a contentious topic when Florida Attorney General i faces off with her Democratic challenger George Sheldon in their only televised debate.

Only hours before Monday evening's debate in Tampa, the U.S. Supreme Court cleared the way for an immediate expansion of same-sex marriage by turning away appeals from five states seeking to prohibit gay and lesbian unions.

Judges in four Florida counties - Palm Beach, Monroe, Miami-Dade and Broward- have overturned Florida's ban on same-sex marriage.

But Bondi's office has appealed the rulings and asked judges to stop ruling on same-sex marriage cases until the U.S. Supreme Court decides whether states can ban gay marriage.

Separately, a federal judge in Tallahassee also has overturned the ban.