Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) Now Backs Marriage Equality

Murkowski Announces She Supports Same-sex Marriage

Murkowski is the third current Republican senator to make the leap and announce publicly that she supports marriage equality. She joins Senators Rob Portman (Ohio) and Mark Kirk (Illinois.) in voicing her public support, after meeting and talking with a gay couple who adopted four kids.

"This is a hard issue. It is hard because marriage is such a deeply personal issue," Murkowski told Anchorage television station KTUU. "There may be some that when they hear the position that I hold that are deeply disappointed. There may be some that embrace the decision that I have made."

"I recognize that it is an area that as a Republican I will be criticized for," she added.

Murkowski had said in March that her views were shifting on the issue. "The term 'evolving view' has been perhaps overused, but I think it is an appropriate term for me to use," she said.

I agree with her that marriage is a DEEPLY personal issue. All the more reason for each person to make such a personal choice.

I think we'll see more and more GOP members coming out (so to speak) in favor of same-sex marriage. They're going to have to support it legally if they are to represent their constituents. But there is a great divide in the party over the issue.

Gay Marriage Continues to Divide Republicans, as GOP Seeks Ways to Win Youth

On one hand...

“On messaging, we must change our tone — especially on certain social issues that are turning off young voters,” the report read. “In every session with young voters, social issues were at the forefront of the discussion; many see them as the civil rights issues of our time. We must be a party that is welcoming and inclusive for all voters.”

But on the other...

At the RNC’s quarterly meeting in Los Angeles the following week, the 168-member RNC voted unanimously to reaffirm the platform.

“We believe that marriage, the union of one man and one woman must be upheld as the national standard, a goal to stand for, encourage, and promote through laws governing marriage,” the platform reads.

I love that last bit: "and promote through laws governing marriage". Yes, what we need are more laws governing our personal relationships! From the party of smaller government.

reply to post by Benevolent Heretic


Lisa was elected thanks to the state's democrats in 2010. She isn't exactly a paragon of conservative values or ideals. That said, I find myself agreeing with her some issues in which she's crossed the party line, such as the GMO labeling vote. Though I continue to see the same sex marriage argument as little more than a distraction from matters of actual significance in a nation which is economically dying and Constitutionally dead.