2,337 The Help Cast Photos & High Res Pictures - Getty Images

Rep. John Lewis, D-Ga., looks on as Human Rights Campaign President Joe Solmonese speaks during a news conference with representatives of the Leadership Conference on Civil Rights and the Human Rights Campaign opposing the proposal being considered in the Senate for an amendment to the U.S. Constitution that would ban same-sex marriage. Senate Republican leaders are counting on this week's same-sex marriage debate to inspire conservative voters to turn out strongly for the party in November, but divisions on the right have cast doubt on whether that strategy will pay dividends. What is certain about the Senate's action this week is its eventual outcome: supporters of a resolution by Wayne Allard, R-Colo., proposing a constitutional amendment to ban gay marriage will lose. Supporters of the amendment need 60 votes Wednesday to overcome a procedural hurdle. They almost surely will fall short, essentially ending the debate. Nevertheless, Senate Republicans have made the strategic calculation that debating the issue this week will boost GOP voter turnout in the upcoming midterm elections and help them keep control of Congress. Get premium, high resolution news photos at getty