Republican Governors Soften Rhetoric On Gay Marriage
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) Deep in the nation's Bible Belt, new signs emerged this weekend of an evolution among Republican governors on gay marriage, an explosive social issue that has divided American families and politics for years.
While the Republican Party's religious conservatives continue to fight against same-sex marriage, its governors appear to be backing off their opposition in their rhetoric, at least. For some, the shift may be more a matter of tone than substance as the GOP tries to attract new voters ahead of the midterm elections. Nonetheless, it is dramatic turn for a party that has long been defined by social conservative values.
"I don't think the Republican Party is fighting it," Wisconsin's Republican Gov. Scott Walker said of gay marriage. He spoke with The Associated Press during an interview this weekend at the National Governors Association in Nashville.
"I'm not saying it's not important," continued Walker, who is considering a 2016 presidential bid should he survive his re-election test this fall. "But Republicans haven't been talking about this. We've been talking about economic and fiscal issues. It's those on the left that are pushing it." Walker, like other ambitious Republican governors, is trying to strike a delicate balance.
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http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/07/12/republicans-gay-marriage_n_5580510.html