A Republican congresswoman from Florida known for holding pro-LGBT views said earlier this week she supports marriage equality, making her the first GOP member of Congress to hold that view.
Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, the only Republican co-sponsor of legislation to repeal the Defense of Marriage Act, confirmed on Tuesday she supports same-sex marriage after remarks she delivered at the launch of Young Conservatives for the Freedom to Marry at the Capitol Hill Club in D.C.
Asked by the Washington Blade whether she’s a supporter of same-sex marriage in addition to backing DOMA repeal, Ros-Lehtinen initially expressed confusion about why the question was being asked, saying, “I don’t know why you’re asking that. It’s such a weird way.” But she later affirmed she’s a supporter of marriage equality.
“Oh, yeah, I am,” Ros-Lehtinen said. “I thought you were trying to get some tricky thing here. No I am.”
Michael Cole-Schwartz, spokesperson for the Human Rights Campaign, commended Ros-Lehtinen for speaking out in favor of marriage equality and said it would help other Republicans do the same.
“Ileana Ros-Lehtinen is a champion in the fight for full LGBT equality,” Cole-Schwartz said. “Her willingness to be a leader in the Republican Party on LGBT issues, including becoming the first Republican member of Congress to embrace marriage equality, is opening the way for other Republican officials to speak out.”
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