Whether this translates into lasting political damage for incumbents who may not face the voters for years is another matter entirely. But it is a good gauge of the passion that surrounds the issue. “We’ve got 18 months before the 2014 general election,” University of Virginia political science professor Larry Sabato said this week. “The sentiment may be intense but it can fade entirely,” by the election. “I’m not saying it will. I don’t know.”