News
DeSantis Frames Same-Sex Marriage Supporters as Threat ‘Against Our Religious Institutions’
Florida Republican Governor Ron DeSantis, struggling to retain his number-two ranking in the 2024 GOP presidential primary race, framed supporters of same-sex marriage as a threat to America’s religious institutions, and to the sacraments of Christian churches.
“You have previously said that the definition of marriage is exclusively between a man and a woman. I’m curious, is that still how you feel today?” CNN’s Kaitlan Collins asked Gov. DeSantis at the network’s town hall in Iowa Thursday night.
“So that’s just what marriage is with the church,” responded DeSantis, who is known for his anti-LGBTQ “Don’t Say Gay” legislation.
“And I respect the Supreme Court’s decision,” he continued, referring to the 2015 ruling that found the U.S. Constitution provides the same rights and responsibilities to marriage for same-sex couples as for different-sex couples. “We’ve abided by that in Florida even though our constitution defines it as between a man and a woman.”
But the Florida governor quickly pivoted to suggesting that somehow the seven out of ten Americans (71%) who support same-sex marriage, according to Gallup, are somehow a threat to religion.
READ MORE: ‘America’s Recovery Is the Envy of the World’: Experts Praise Latest Jobs Numbers
“I think what we need to recognize is you are going to have people try to wield power against our religious institutions, and try to marginalize them simply by upholding the biblical definition of marriage,” DeSantis declared, echoing far-right extremists who for decades have predicted that same-sex couples marrying would somehow destroy “traditional” marriages and societal institutions, none of which have happened in the more than eight years since that Supreme Court ruling.
Even GOP voters are near-evenly split on support for same-sex marriage, but DeSantis pivoted to their right.
“Republican support for gay marriage has hovered around the 50% mark since 2020,” Gallup noted in its most recent report, June of 2023, “with slight majorities backing it in 2021 and 2022. The latest 49% recorded for this group is statistically similar to the level of support Gallup has recorded in recent years.”
The Florida governor, who the Human Rights Campaign says “has made LGBTQ+ people political pawns in his own quest for power,” vowed he would “protect those religious institutions to be able to do what has always been done in terms of how they consider marriage as a sacrament.”
READ MORE: Ohio GOP Lawmakers Cutting Winter Recess Short to Override Veto of Anti-Transgender Bill
“So in terms of the church, that’s just what it is. Now, in terms of the Supreme Court’s decision with civil law, you know, the state, we had a different policy, this is before I was governor, and so the State of Florida’s respected that.”
Watch below or at this link.
DeSantis indicates that while he respects SCOTUS’s ruling to the contrary, he still believes marriage is between a man and a woman pic.twitter.com/nqZTeNDEqz
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) January 5, 2024
Enjoy this piece?
… then let us make a small request. The New Civil Rights Movement depends on readers like you to meet our ongoing expenses and continue producing quality progressive journalism. Three Silicon Valley giants consume 70 percent of all online advertising dollars, so we need your help to continue doing what we do.
NCRM is independent. You won’t find mainstream media bias here. From unflinching coverage of religious extremism, to spotlighting efforts to roll back our rights, NCRM continues to speak truth to power. America needs independent voices like NCRM to be sure no one is forgotten.
Every reader contribution, whatever the amount, makes a tremendous difference. Help ensure NCRM remains independent long into the future. Support progressive journalism with a one-time contribution to NCRM, or click here to become a subscriber. Thank you. Click here to donate by check.