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.

[EternalVigilance]

Where is "marriage" in the Constitution?

The ultimate stated purpose of the document:

"To secure the Blessings of Liberty to Posterity."

If there's no real marriage, there can be no Posterity, much less a Posterity that is Blessed.

[ansel12]

As you promote the gay agenda throughout freerepublic, just as you are on this thread in defense of Liz Cheney’s candidacy which is titled “”Liz Cheney Would Be Fourth Republican Senator To Back Gay Marriage””, you should know that she is against a constitutional amendment to protect marriage.

Your path to gay marriage is a quick one, your support of the libertarian/leftist agenda is noted, again.

[ansel12]

What pre-Constitutional legislation regarding/referencing “marriage” was that, back in 1780?

Widow benefits for federal service, legislation added to in years since, 1794, 1798, 1802, and so on.

[Ann Archy]

USED to LOVE Liz.....but “SAY NO TO LIZ”!!!!!!!!

[Ann Archy]

Noooo, it’s because of her LESBIAN SISTER!! IDIOCY!!! All DECENCY gets TRUMPED if your relative is a DEGENERATE!!!

[Ann Archy]

geesh... THAT is NEVER going thru...get real.

[Flavious_Maximus]

This is a deal breaker for me. I had defended her earlier in other post, saying she would probably be better than Enzi. I take that back. There is no way I would support her now.

[what's up]

there is no way that states will be allowed to ignore families that relocate or get transferred there by the federal govt, and military

They will continue to get Fed benefits but an non-gay state is under no compulsion to give state benefits.

Besides...the number of gay married people who work for the fed gov't and will be relocated is SO low.

Only 2% of the population is gay...even less are married or will get married (they are notoriously promiscuious) and even less have a federal job that will require relo.

[RginTN]

Thanks for posting this.

Any politician who supports gay marriage supports infringing on the first amendment since that freedom is always attacked by gay rights activists.

[alstewartfan]

Just say NOOO!to Liz Cheney. Bob

[GeronL]

bump

cannot believe freepers would go for that

[matginzac]

She’s toast, I hope...
As much as I’ve liked her as a pundit, the pro-homo marriage does it for me.
What else would she turn on?
Good luck, WY....

[highball]

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

...when it will be too late.

[rabidralph]

I love your screen name. It’s the nickname for male prostitutes in the P.I.

[Amendment10]

I don’t think that we’re on the same sheet of music.

As I’ve mentioned elsewhere, I support only traditional one man, one woman marriage. My emphasis for states to regulate marriage is because that’s what California’s legal majoritity voters wanted. It’s only because of pro-gay, PC interpretations of the Equal Protections Clause of Sec. 1 of the 14th Amendment by activist justices and CA judges that CA still has gay marriage.

Regarding Liz Cheney, again, Mr. Mark’s article wrongly implies that federal government can regulate / define marriage.

[ReformationFan]

I don’t live there but I’d never vote for her.

[Blood of Tyrants]

What about her position says that she supports gay marriage?

[RginTN]

Not all her beliefs are known. I admit I was taken in. Now I’m a skeptic about LC

[SunkenCiv]

• ---

  I, for one, am for immigration reform. … That being said, I’m worried that the bill before us won’t pass.... [Rand Paul: I hate to say it, but the immigration bill is a little bit like ObamaCare right now ]

• ---

  [Paul open to voting for Senate immigration bill]

• ---

  [Rand Paul: I'm Open to Voting for Immigration Bill]

• ---

  Latinos, should be a natural constituency for the party, Paul argued, but "Republicans have pushed them away with harsh rhetoric over immigration." ...he would create a bipartisan panel to determine how many visas should be granted for workers already in the United States and those who might follow... [and the buried lead] "Imagine 12 million people who are already here coming out of the shadows to become new taxpayers... [Rand Paul calls on conservatives to embrace immigration reform]

  ---

• ...by softening its edge on some volatile social issues and altering its image as the party always seemingly "eager to go to war... We do need to expand the party and grow the party and that does mean that we don't always all agree on every issue" ... the party needs to become more welcoming to individuals who disagree with basic Republican doctrine on emotional social issues such as gay marriage... "We're going to have to be a little hands off on some of these issues ... and get people into the party," Paul said. [Rand Paul: Time for GOP to soften war stance]

• ---

  One day after announcing on his radio show that he is "truly considering" running in 2014 for the U.S. Senate seat now held by New Jersey's Frank Lautenberg, Rivera amped up his message today in a television interview and a column on the Fox News Latino website... a moderate Republican who is fiscally conservative but also supports gay marriage and Roe v. Wade... [Geraldo Rivera declares himself a 'moderate Republican' as he eyes U.S. Senate run]

  ---

[SunkenCiv]

Birds of a feather / Partisan Media Shills:

• Rand Paul mocks Liz Cheney's Senate bid ("I thought she was running in her home state of Virginia,")
• Rand Paul: I've got Mike Enzi's back vs. Liz Cheney
• Why Rand Paul Is Backing the Sponsor of the Marketplace Fairness Act Over Liz Cheney
• Michael Steele: Liz Cheney run will be divisive (only conservatives are divisive dontcha know!)
• Who is Mike Enzi? (Politico begins it's protect the more moderate candidate campaign)
• NRSC would back Sen. Mike Enzi over Liz Cheney in possible Wyoming primary
• Liz Cheney's Senate ambition causes grief for Wyoming GOP
• In Wyoming, a Cheney Run Worries G.O.P.
• Sen. Mike Enzi: I'm not too old

additional:

• Liz Cheney Mocks GOP'ers Advising Party To Moderate: Either 'Wrongheaded Or Democrats, Or Both'
• Liz Cheney: Republicans, Get Over the 2012 Loss -- and Start Fighting Back
• Liz Cheney: Republicans, Get Over the 2012 Loss -- and Start Fighting Back
• Time to Throw Out Second Best GOP Senators
• Coming soon: Senator Cheney?
• Cheney: This is just the "logical outcome of three-and-a-half years of Obama foreign policy"
• LIZ CHENEY DROPS THE "SHOE" ON FOX NEWS SUNDAY REGARDING SECURITY LEAKS
• Liz Cheney Disagrees With Father On Palin, Calls Her 'More Qualified Than Obama And Biden'
• Liz Cheney Splits With Father on Palin Remarks: 'More Qualified Than Obama and Biden Combined'