DES MOINES, Iowa—A conservative activist delivered petitions with more than 6,000 signatures Jan. 24 calling for the impeachment of a district judge who struck down the Iowa’s ban on gay marriage last summer.

Bill Salier, founder of Everyday America, said Polk County Judge Robert Hanson overstepped his authority in issuing his ruling in August.

The move is the latest in a political debate over Hanson’s ruling, which is on appeal to the Iowa Supreme Court. Critics of the ruling have begun pushing lawmakers to put a proposed constitutional amendment banning gay marriage on the ballot.

Democrats who control both chambers of the legislature have taken that issue off the table, and they dismissed Salier’s effort.

“We’re not doing anything on it,” said House Speaker Pat Murphy (D-Dubuque).

House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy (D-Des Moines) rejected suggestions that Democrats were vulnerable on the issue.

“We’re not on the wrong side of the issue,” said McCarthy. “I don’t think the average, ordinary Iowan who works hard and plays by the rules gets up every morning with gay marriage on their mind. Most people get up in the morning thinking about things like breakfast.”