Partisan views on gay marriage ruling clash ahead of primaries
By Matthew Waller
AUSTIN — With the March 4 primary election date less than a week away, and early voting still going until Friday, a federal judge’s ruling against Texas’ ban on same-sex marriage brought out the deep partisan divide among Republican and Democrat contenders for the top state offices.
Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott, who is both party to the case and the lead Republican candidate for governor, said the issue should stay with the states.
“This is an issue on which there are good, well meaning people on both sides. And as the lower court acknowledged today, it’s an issue that will ultimately be resolved by a higher court,” Abbott said in a statement.
Abbott said his office is beginning the process of appealing to the Fifth Circuit court in New Orleans, and that the ruling has no effect at the moment since District Judge Orlando Garcia, an appointee of former President Bill Clinton, stayed his own decision until an appellate court could rule.
“The U.S. Supreme Court has ruled over and over again that States have the authority to define and regulate marriage. The Texas Constitution defines marriage as between one man and one woman. If the Fifth Court honors those precedents, then today’s decision should be overturned and the Texas Constitution upheld,” Abbott said.
Texas voted in 2005 in favor of an amendment denying legal status of same-sex marriage 76 percent to 24 percent.
“I believe that all Texans who love one another and are committed to spending their lives together should be allowed to marry,” said state Sen. Wendy Davis a Fort Worth Democrat who is her party’s main contender for governor.
Republican Texas lieutenant governor candidates came out in force against the ruling.
“Once again, an activist federal judge has unilaterally attempted to undermine the will of the people of Texas who affirmed this amendment with 76 percent of the vote,” incumbent Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst, who is running for re-election, said.
“Enough is enough,” Republican Texas Land Commissioner and lieutenant governor candidate Jerry Patterson said. “The institution of marriage has been clearly defined by the State of Texas and it will take more than one individual in a black robe to go against common sense, the will of the people of Texas, and the time-honored, traditional definition of marriage.”
“This ruling is the poster child of the culture war occurring in America today. We will fight this all the way to the Supreme Court,” Republican Texas Agriculture Commissioner Todd Staples, also a lieutenant governor candidate, said.
“MARRIAGE= ONE MAN & ONE WOMAN. Enough of these activist judges … I know the silent majority out there is with us,” stated the Twitter account of Republican lieutenant governor candidate and state Sen. Dan Patrick, R-Houston, after accidentally writing that one man and one man make a marriage.
Meanwhile, Texas Democrats continued to applaud the ruling.
“There is a growing movement to apply the law equally to everyone without prejudice. And I welcome it, because that’s who we are at our best. Nothing about this interferes with communities of faith,” state Sen. Leticia Van de Putte, D-San Antonio, who is running for lieutenant governor, said in a statement.
“The Texas Democratic Party believes that everyone should have the right to be with the person they love and we look forward to the day in Texas when everyone can marry who they love,” Texas Democratic Party Chairman Gilberto Hinojosa said in a statement. “This is a historic day for the LGBT community and the state of Texas. As Dr. King once stated, ‘The arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends toward justice.’ Today all Texans can celebrate that we are one step closer to justice and equality for all.”
According to June 2013 data from the University of Texas/Texas Tribune Poll shows that 39 percent of respondents believe gays and lesbians should have the right to marry, 30 percent agreed with allowing civil unions but not marriage, 26 percent disagreed with allowing civil unions or marriage, and 5 percent didn’t know.
Reprinted with permission from the San Angelo Standard-Times.