Alaska GOP Governor Wastes No Time Using Same-Sex Marriage Ruling As Campaign Issue

Running for re-election, Alaska’s GOP governor wasted no time yesterday in using a federal judge’s ruling on same-sex marriage as a campaign issue. 

Sunday night, a federal district court judge ruled that Alaska’s ban on same-sex marriage violates the U.S. Constitution, and struck the law down. The Alaska ban, enacted in 1998, was the county’s oldest.

And with the November elections just a few weeks away, Alaska’s Republican Governor Sean Parnell wasted no time in issuing an official statement from his office — and then had his campaign echo his words in an attack on his opponent, Bill Walker.

Yes, the loving relationships of same-sex couples are once again fair game, according to the Governor of Alaska, in the war of politics on the LGBT community.

LOOK: Breaking: Federal Judge Rules Alaska Same-Sex Marriage Ban Unconstitutional

“As Alaska’s governor, I have a duty to defend and uphold the law and the Alaska Constitution,” Gov. Parnell said in a statement. “Although the district court today may have been bound by the recent Ninth Circuit panel opinion, the status of that opinion and the law in general in this area is in flux. I will defend our constitution.”

Shortly thereafter, on the Governor’s campaign website, appeared this attack on his opponent, Bill Walker, a Republican running as an independent, non-partisan candidate. 

“While Governor Parnell is defending and upholding Alaska’s Constitution, Bill Walker has remained silent on this crucial issue,” [the Governor’s campaign manager, Tom] Wright said. “Bill continues to backtrack on key issues impacting Alaskans. It’s time for Bill to make a decision and let Alaskans know if he will defend Alaska’s Constitution and the will of the people.”

Of course, Walker did issue a statement yesterday too.

“I continue to view marriage as the union of a man and a woman. However, as governor, I will place my hand on the Bible and swear to uphold the laws of the land.

Governor Parnell has indicated he will appeal today’s district court decision. Upon taking office, I will review all major litigation in which the State is involved and determine the merits of pursuit, settlement or dismissal.

Despite my personal views on marriage, with the State’s dire financial crisis, pursuing expensive litigation that has little chance of victory is an unwise use of our dwindling resources. ”

Certainly not much better than Parnell’s but better.

 

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