If you’re Montana Republican Sen. Conrad Burns, you’re stuck in a tough re-election race, and you’re doing everything you can to convince traditional Montanans to vote for you, could you have timed the New Jersey Supreme Court’s outrageous anti-traditional-marriage ruling any better than the Garden State Supremes did?

The N.J. court just gave the Republican Party a major campaign issue. The issue of marriage-protection saved the Bush-Cheney Campaign in 2004. The issue of out-of-control judges who impose their worldview instead of the law on the rest of America has been a great issue for Republicans who believe the Constitution ought to be central to court decisions not leftist doctrine.

Senate Republicans such as Burns, George Allen (Va.), Mike DeWine (Ohio), Santorum (Pa.), and Jim Talent (Mo.), and GOP Senate candidates in close races such as Michael Bouchard (Mich.), Michael Steele (Md.), Tom Kean, Jr., (N.J.) and Mark Kennedy (Minn.) out to be revitalized in their campaigns to keep the GOP Senate majority so more constructionist judges can be confirmed, not to mention possible Supreme Court justices.

All Republicans -- House and Senate -- should be out reminding people that without their efforts, traditional marriage will not be protected by the federal government. If a constitutional amendment is what it takes to protect marriage, does anyone really believe a House or Senate with a Democrat majority will allow it to get done?

Thank you New Jersey Supreme Court -- not for your disgraceful and despicable ruling but for your impeccable timing.