Liz Cheney Would Be Fourth Republican Senator To Back Gay Marriage

Politix ^ | July 17, 2013 | David Mark

[BillyBoy]

Liz Cheney Would Be Fourth Republican Senator To Back Gay Marriage
Sen. Mike Enzi, her GOP primary opponent, opposes it

by David Mark
Editor-in-Chief

Liz Cheney, 2014 Republican Senate candidate in Wyoming, and daughter of former Vice President Dick Cheney. • AP

There are few policy differences between Wyoming Republican Senate candidate Liz Cheney and the incumbent she's trying to oust in 2014, Sen. Mike Enzi. Except for one issue: Gay marriage.

Unlike Enzi, the 46-year-old daughter of former Vice President Dick Cheney supports the right for states to legalize gay marriage. At least that's what she said in 2009, in an interview with MSNBC, of all places. At that was a time when the notion of same-sex marriage had considerably less support.

And that has even Daily Kos writer Scott Welch offering at least limited praise for Liz Cheney. Cheney, Welch writes:

Seemed to indicate tentative support for marriage equality and LGBT rights at large, saying: 'Well, look I think, you know, my family has been very clear about this, that we think freedom means freedom for everybody and that this is an issue that states have to decide for themselves.'

While Cheney's language is hardly a full-throated, ringing endorsement of equality ('this is an issue that states have to decide for themselves'), her aligning herself with her family is encouraging: her sister, Mary, who is an out lesbian and her father both are on record support marriage equality. She went on to reiterate opposition to a constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriage, expressed support for the State Department's extension of benefits to same-sex couples, and said, 'I think it's wrong to discriminate, in those relationships, based on someone's sexual preference.' Additionally, she supported repeal of Don't Ask Don't Tell.

All this leads me to wonder, should we be rooting for Cheney in her primary campaign against Enzi? Don't get me wrong: I would abhor seeing either of them elected to the Senate. Both embrace the Tea Party agenda and the right's nutty conspiracy theories wholeheartedly. That being said, even if the primary is as ugly as possible, the winner of the GOP primary will, come 2014, be elected Senator in a state as ruby red as Wyoming. Given that either of them would both toe the Tea Party line if elected, why not root for Cheney in the hopes that she might be a sleeper vote for LGBT rights such as the Employee Non-Discrimination Act? It's hard to see on what issues she might be farther to the right than Enzi.

If elected, Cheney would be the fourth Republican senator to back same-sex marriage, along with Mark Kirk, Lisa Murkowski (Alaska) and Rob Portman (Ohio). Most Democratic senators have said they support gay marriage.

[stephenjohnbanker]

” I’d expect an open border vote out of her as well.”

And you will doubtless get it.

No more NWO folks!

[RB156]

Do you not think 3 terms in the Senate is enough? I think Enzi has overstayed his welcome. In a perfect world, term limits would’ve made him ineligible to run again even in 2008. Even if not by Cheney, I hope someone successfully primaries career politician fossils.

[Catsrus]

That’s my feeling too - let Wyoming make that decision. Mark endorsed her last night and at this point, I’m not sure if he is aware of her stance on gay marriage. I know that I wasn’t. The one thing she has going for her is that she is a spit-fire.

[Bigg Red]

I’d expect an open border vote out of her as well.

I actually like the woman as a communicator but we don’t need her in politics.

**
Exactly. Well said.

[SoFloFreeper]

Yeah, I won’t send money to her campaign over this issue. She is wrong. I understand she loves her sister, that is fine.

State governments and federal governments NEITHER should be endorsing perversion.

[faucetman]

“I actually like the woman as a communicator but we don’t need her in politics.”

We have a winner!

[BillyBoy]

Again, I support term limits, but NOT at the cost of replacing the Senator with someone who would be WORSE.

Senator Jeff Sessions (R-AL) is another strongly conservative GOP incumbent who has been in the U.S. Senate three terms. If he runs for a fourth term, would you back a liberal Democrat Obama supporter to replace him just so there would be “fresh young blood” in the Senate?

[Blood of Tyrants]

Comparing sodomy to slavery? Sorry, it doesn’t fly here.

[Jay Redhawk]

I am waiting for Karl “Tokyo” Rove to offer his opinion on Liz Cheney. I will do the opposite of what Rove says we should all do.

[Paladin2]

Enzi needs to step up his game. He should spend more time with Cruz.

[Fiji Hill]

Enzi wants to tax the Internet. No way, Jose!

[Walrus]

The “divide and conquer” machine has been started up again.

[BillyBoy]

Tell me, would you be OK with legislation to repeal the 2nd amendment and “send it back to the states” to decide whether or not to allow people to own guns? Plenty of liberal states WANT to ban guns (New York, Illinois, etc.), but can’t because the big, mean, federal government won’t let them. Do you support “states rights” for them?

[Absolutely Nobama]

Well, I’m done supporting her. Had no idea, thanks for posting this.

Another day, another disappointment. It never ends with the GOP.

Perhaps, We the Conservatives should start our own party. Just throwin’ it out there, don’t mind me....

[Nextrush]

Levin talks about how bad the Republican Party is and then turns around and supports an inside the beltway name that’s suddenly set up residence in Wyoming??????

I’m listening to what people are saying right now so I’m not ready to throw Levin out like Cheney, but I do know that Mark was the pipeline of info to El Rushbo from Washington DC.

Is Levin a pipeline of talking points from inside the beltway or an outside the beltway conservative????

Who’s put the bucks into his Landmark Legal Foundation over the years???????

THE ONLY ONES I TRUST ARE PALIN, CRUZ AND TO AN EXTENT RAND PAUL.......BUT PAUL IS MANEUVERING TO RUN FOR PRESIDENT IN 2016 WITH ENDORSEMENTS OF POLITICIANS LIKE MCCONNELL AND NOW ENZI IN WYOMING.

[stephenjohnbanker]

” I am waiting for Karl “Tokyo” Rove to offer his opinion on Liz Cheney. I will do the opposite of what Rove says we should all do.”

GREAT litmus test!

B U M P

[forgotten man]

It sounds like she is a “Rubio Conservative.” We will find her true colors if and after she is elected.

[skeeter]

I don’t think we need any more establishment republicans in congress, thanks.

[Blood of Tyrants]

And, again, the 2A also does not equate with what kind of sex a person prefers. Like I said, ANY type of pro- or anti- homosexual marriage amendment is going exactly nowhere, so why worry about it?

[fwdude]

No one who supports any of the demands of sodomy is a conservative in any shade.

No one.