Candidates Views On Gay Marriage
Sacramento, CA – California’s top gubernatorial candidates have opposing views on the court ruling that found Proposition 8 unconstitutional.
Democrat Jerry Brown supports the ruling, and has issued a statement reading, “In striking down Proposition 8, Judge Walker came to the same conclusion I did when I declined to defend it: Proposition 8 violates the equal protection guarantee of the Fourteenth Amendment of the United States Constitution by taking away the right of same-sex couples to marry, without a sufficient governmental interest.”
Republican Meg Whitman doesn’t agree with the ruling, but does support civil unions. The Associated Press reports that at a campaign stop Wednesday in Los Angeles, Whitman stated, “I believe marriage should be between a man and a woman. We have a very forward looking civil union law.”
The lawsuit was filed by two gay couples that claimed that the ban violates civil rights. Opponents of the ruling have stated they plan to appeal the judge’s decision. The ban on same sex marriage was approved by voters 52-48% during the November 2008 election. The matter could eventually be heard by the U.S. Supreme Court.