Even as he vowed to protect gay rights, Democrats in the Iowa Senate on Sunday chose to keep Sen. Mike Gronstal as their majority leader.

No one mounted a challenge for the leadership role, several senators said after they finished a private two-hour meeting at the Iowa Capitol.

Senate Democrats also voted to keep Sen. Jack Kibbie, D-Emmetsburg, as Senate president.

Iowa State Senator Matt McCoy, the first openly gay member of the Iowa Legislature, describes why he thinks Iowa won't to backwards on marriage rights.