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As the Illinois Senate prepares to vote on a measure that would legalize gay marriage, a new poll shows increasing support for marriage equality in the state.

The poll, taken by the Paul Simon Public Policy Institute at Southern Illinois University in Carbondale, shows support has grown from 33.6 percent in 2010 to 45.5 percent today.

Democrats hold a supermajority in the Senate and believe they will pass the bill. If approved, it heads to the House. Governor Quinn has also indicated he would sign the bill.

JOPLIN, Mo. (AP) - A Joplin man will face trial for first-degree murder after waiving a preliminary hearing in the killing of his estranged wife.

Thirty-five-year-old Rondias Webb waived the hearing Wednesday in Jasper County Circuit Court. He is charged in the Nov. 17 shooting death of 36-year-old Monica Webb.

Prosecutors say Monica Webb was shot inside the home where she had moved to get away from her husband. Police say Rondias Webb shot himself after shooting his wife.

The Joplin Globe reports Monica Webb had obtained a protection order against her husband in September after he was charged with misdemeanor domestic assault at an apartment they had shared. Two weeks before her shooting, Webb reported that her husband had violated the protection order.

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) - The slate of Democratic candidates is in flux for a vacant Missouri congressional seat with just two days remaining before party leaders pick a nominee.

State Rep. Linda Black, of Bonne Terre, announced Thursday that she would not seek the Democratic nomination to succeed Republican Congresswoman Jo Ann Emerson, who resigned last month. Black had been among the leading contenders for the 8th District seat in southeast Missouri.

Poplar Bluff chiropractor Jack Rushin, who lost to Emerson last year, said Thursday that he also is considering whether to drop his bid for the June 4 special election.

But state Rep. Steve Hodges, of East Prairie, announced he was entering the race.

The two other Democratic candidates are Todd Mahn of Festus and Markel Fitchpatrick of Blodgett.