U.S. Republican Senator Mark Kirk of Illinois moments ago just announced his support for same-sex marriage, joining the only other sitting GOP Senator to do so, Rob Portman. Kirk, who recently returned to the Senate after a year-long recovery from a stroke, issued this short statement:
When I climbed the Capitol steps in January, I promised myself that I would return to the Senate with an open mind and greater respect for others.
Same-sex couples should have the right to civil marriage. Our time on this Earth is limited, I know that better than most. Life comes down to who you love and who loves you back– government has no place in the middle.
Senator Kirk, a Commander in the Navy Reserves, Â voted in favor of the 2010 repeal of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell”. His state is currently attempting to pass marriage equality.
He joins several Democratic U.S. Senators who recently added their names to the list of those who support the right of same-sex couples to marry.
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Editor’s note: An earlier version incorrectly stated Sen. Kirk’s position on Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.
Related:
The List: The 7 Democratic US Senators Who Don’t Support Same-Sex Marriage –Yet
Sen. Tom Carper Announces Gay Marriage Support — Democrats’ Anti-Marriage List Now At 7
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