Speculation about the state Supreme Court's gay marriage decision has been going on so long it's apparently given some people a chance to reconsider their view of the court. Here are two comments from Jamie Pedersen, an attorney for gay couples in the case and a Democrat running in the crowded Democratic primary for the 43rd District House seat.

May 13, 2006, The Associated Press:

A number of participants think justices will sit on it until after the election, just because it's such a hot-button issue, bound to anger the losing side and segments of the voting public.

"It's the classic seepage of politics into the process," Pedersen says. "They'll see the controversy and some will worry about re-election, and that's a shame."

July 20, 2006, The Associated Press:

Jamie Pedersen, a lawyer representing the gay couples in the case, said he doesn't fall into the camp of those who believed the court might delay the opinion for political reasons, and that he appreciates the care the court appears to be taking with the ruling. As a former law clerk, he said he knows how complex opinion-writing can be.

"Anytime somebody changes something in one opinion, the others get a chance to change what's in their opinions," he said. "They'll issue the decision when they're done writing it."

And while we're keeping track, it was early June when Gov. Chris Gregoire said, "I don't think it's coming before the election."

Last week after Justice Susan Owens said she believes the decision will be out before the primary, the AP reported that Gregoire said, "I've given up predicting when the decision will come down."

That is the one safe approach.