WASHINGTON — Today, Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) announced that she supports marriage equality. Murkowski joins two of her Republican colleagues — Senator Rob Portman of Ohio and Senator Mark Kirk of Illinois — in endorsing the right of committed and loving gay and lesbian couples to marry.
Human Rights Campaign (HRC) President Chad Griffin released the following statement in response to the news:
"Senator Murkowski's courageous and principled announcement today sends a clear message that marriage equality must come to all 50 states in this country. As the Supreme Court prepares to rule in two landmark marriage cases this month, a growing bipartisan coalition is standing up for the right of all couples to marry—and there is no turning back that tide.
"We hope other fair-minded conservatives like Senator Murkowski stand up and join her. Alaska may be nicknamed 'the Last Frontier,' but we've got to make sure that LGBT Alaskans don't have to wait to find justice."
Senator Lisa Murkowski joins a growing number of elected and rank-and-file Republicans vocally supporting marriage equality. Earlier this year, a pro-equality amicus brief signed by more than 100 prominent Republicans was submitted to the U.S. Supreme Court in the Hollingsworth v. Perry case. And a number of recent polls have shown an emerging Republican coalition for marriage—including a clear majority of conservative youth.
Senator Lisa Murkowski supported both the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd, Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act and the repeal of Don't Ask, Don't Tell.
Marc Solomon, national campaign director of Freedom to Marry, said:
"Senator Murkowski joins the majority of US senators taking a stand for equal treatment under the law on one of the most important bonds in our society: marriage. And as the third GOP senator to announce support for marriage this year, she shows that the conservative tenets of freedom and family are perfectly in line with the freedom to marry. With a solid majority of the American public supporting same-sex couples' right to marry, along with a majority of Republican voters under 50, we'll see more and more leaders like Senator Murkowski — from all parties and all states across the nation — moving to be in line with the electorate and on the right side of history."
From a Freedom to Marry Press Release
Becomes 3rd GOP Senator to Support Freedom to Marry
Washington, DC — Today Senator Lisa Murkowski of Alaska announced her support for the freedom to marry, becoming the third Republican senator to speak out in favor of marriage. A majority of U.S. senators publicly support the freedom to marry, including Republicans Mark Kirk of Illinois and Rob Portman of Ohio.
Marc Solomon, national campaign director of Freedom to Marry, said:
"Senator Murkowski joins the majority of US senators taking a stand for equal treatment under the law on one of the most important bonds in our society: marriage. And as the third GOP senator to announce support for marriage this year, she shows that the conservative tenets of freedom and family are perfectly in line with the freedom to marry. With a solid majority of the American public supporting same-sex couples' right to marry, along with a majority of Republican voters under 50, we'll see more and more leaders like Senator Murkowski — from all parties and all states across the nation — moving to be in line with the electorate and on the right side of history."
Freedom to Marry is the campaign to win marriage nationwide. We are pursuing our Roadmap to Victory by working to win the freedom to marry in more states, grow the national majority for marriage, and end federal marriage discrimination. We partner with individuals and organizations across the country to end the exclusion of same-sex couples from marriage and the protections, responsibilities, and commitment that marriage brings.
