So far the five mayoral candidates have fought to claim the high ground on some of the hot button issues expected to resonate most with voters in 2006 — school modernization, affordable housing, citywide development, the new stadium, and others. But yesterday the first hint of what could be a split on social issues was revealed when three of the five candidates endorsed civil unions for same-sex couples, with the remaining two expressing their opposition.

While the five candidates staked out their position on the matter, each left themselves enough wiggle room to avoid being pinned as either completely in favor of or completely opposed to civil unions or gay marriage. Their diplomatically-phrased answers exposed the delicate balancing act they will have to contend with over the course of the 2006 campaign — attracting the support of the city’s African-American majority, who are more likely to oppose gay marriage or similar variations, while remaining permissive enough to engender support from the city’s white voters and active gay community.

The issue of gay marriage probably won’t define the election, but it does lay bare the divisions within a city that, while overwhelmingly Democratic, may differ on matters of religion and culture. It also offers us the chance to see the candidates at their political best — stumping for one group just enough to gain their support, but not enough to alienate the next group.