Republican Senator Comes Out for Marriage Equality After Acknowledging His Son is Gay
Even as his party at CPAC confirms its commitment to denying one set of taxpayers the right to marry the adult they love and somehow concluding this is not discrimination, Sen. Rob Portman (R-Ohio) is speaking out in defense of marriage equality.
Portman’s position on the subject has “evolved,” as the saying goes, for a very personal reason. His son, a student at Yale, is gay.
“I’m announcing today a change of heart on an issue that a lot of people feel strongly about that has to do with gay couples’ opportunity to marry,” Portman told CNN.
It has to do with another revelation, one deeply personal. His 21-year-old son, Will, is gay.
“I’ve come to the conclusion that for me, personally, I think this is something that we should allow people to do, to get married, and to have the joy and stability of marriage that I’ve had for over 26 years. That I want all of my children to have, including our son, who is gay,” said Portman.
Portman campaigned for Mitt Romney for president in 2012, and was among Romney’s choices for the vice presidential slot. Team Romney denied that Portman’s son, or his acceptance of him, was a factor in their decision to choose someone else.
