Rob Portman becomes only GOP Senator to endorse gay marriage.

[Marokai Backbeat]

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http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2013/03/15/rob-portman-gay-marriage-son/1988375/

[Maxwell]

I admire Rob Portman a little more. Was it politically motivated? I'm sure. But it's a move in the direction where the issue seems to be headed. I hope the rest of the Republicans follow his lead instead of shouting him down as that trend tends to be.

[Gass3268]

Welcome to the 21st Century Senator Portman.

[Antonio the Sixth]

Primary challenge in 2016? I'm sure the OHGOP has a more than fair share of nuts.

[Marokai Backbeat]

Primary challenge in 2016? I'm sure the OHGOP has a more than fair share of nuts.

The existence of Josh Mandel proves that well enough, yes.

[Maxwell]

Primary challenge in 2016? I'm sure the OHGOP has a more than fair share of nuts.

The existence of Josh Mandel proves that well enough, yes.

Mandel can't beat Portman. Portman has PLENTY of conservative credentials to beat back the gay marriage stuff. Mandel also ran a horrible campaign against Sherrod Brown.

[Old Man Svensson]

Primary challenge in 2016? I'm sure the OHGOP has a more than fair share of nuts.

By 2016, I'm fairly confident all that will be left of the Tea Party will be bad memories of a bad joke. 2012 was their implosion, and they've only been making it worse for themselves since.

At any rate, as strongly as I disagree with him on a wide slate of issues, I congratulate Senator Portman for at least making the full about-face on this issue. Now I just wish I could get over the fact that he penned ACTA.

[bedstuy]

Primary challenge in 2016? I'm sure the OHGOP has a more than fair share of nuts.

By 2016, I'm fairly confident all that will be left of the Tea Party will be bad memories of a bad joke. 2012 was their implosion, and they've only been making it worse for themselves since.

At any rate, as strongly as I disagree with him on a wide slate of issues, I congratulate Senator Portman for at least making the full about-face on this issue. Now I just wish I could get over the fact that he penned ACTA.

The Tea Party might be declasse but the Christian Right will certainly be a factor in 2016.  I don't expect many Republicans will be able to get away with supporting marriage equality. 

[Horus]

Portman never bothered me much, just seemed like Voinovich 2.0 and I welcome his support.

[Likely Voter]

That's great but why does it take having a gay child for conservatives to have sympathy for gay rights?

This reminds me of this: http://youtu.be/NMroWnWIqs0

[Tender Branson]

WASHINGTON — Republican Sen. Rob Portman said Thursday that he now supports gay marriage — a surprise turnabout on a hot-button social issue, sparked by a deeply personal reflection that began two years ago after Portman's son, Will, told him that he is gay.

A gay son or lesbian daughter for every GOP politician !

Maybe this would speed up things a little bit and remove their ignorance on this issue ...

[morgieb]

That's great but why does it take having a gay child for conservatives to have sympathy for gay rights?

This reminds me of this: http://youtu.be/NMroWnWIqs0

Ignorance. They realise gays aren't different to you and I if someone they hold dear to them comes out.

[Old Man Svensson]

That's great but why does it take having a gay child for conservatives to have sympathy for gay rights?

Sometimes it takes facing modern reality personally for one to realize how wrong they were. It's happened to me in life.

EDIT: Or what Morgieb said. Bloody Australian ninjas.

[seanNJ9]

I'm pleased Portman flipped on marriage equality. Now that it hits home.

I'll be ecstatic if Republicans can come to learn compassion instinctively. 

[Mr. Morden]

To be clear, Portman still says that he opposes gay marriage being imposed on all 50 states at the federal level.  His new position is that he wants DOMA repealed and the federal government to recognize same sex marriages in states where they're legal, but wants each state to be able to decide for itself how to define marriage, and hopes they all include same sex marriage in said definition.

So his position is more or less a mirror image of Marco Rubio's, who's also embraced the federalist position, but says that his preference is for states to exclude same sex marriage from their definition.

In any case, the question now is whether Portman will pay much of any political price for being the first GOP senator to back gay marriage.  My guess is that he won't, which begs the question as to whether this will start a chain reaction, that leads to several other Republicans backing it as well.

[Grumpier Than Thou]

Of all people

[Snowstalker Mk. II]

On one hand, yay for progress. On the other hand, I can't help but take issue with the fact that this sounds like "I opposed same-sex marriage until I found out my son was gay".

[minionofmidas]

"I opposed same-sex marriage until I found out my son was gay".

That seems to be exactly what it is. And as long as it's not "I oppose same-sex marriage except for my son, for whom I have crafted this loophole" I see no problem with that. Certainly preferrable to "I opposed same-sex marriage until my pollsters told me not to."

[Mr. Morden]

Certainly preferrable to "I opposed same-sex marriage until my pollsters told me not to."

Indeed.  Is Portman's shift really "worse" than Obama's?

[Small Business Owner of Any Repute]

I don't think you people understand what this means. It's not a drop in the bucket, it's a another deep painful crack in a disintegrating wall. We're far closer to equality than we realize. Best guess is that by the next time he faces election, this is a net positive in Ohio.

[tmthforu94]

A good Senator and good person. Glad he made the switch - hopefully more follow.

[anvi]

I think it's just one of the quirks of human nature that we often are not able to identify with something until we confront it personally.  That's not always the case, but often it is.  Changing one's position on something as a response to one's own child's circumstances is an entirely good reason to change it.  Good for Portman.   

[Holmes]

Let's not all think that having a gay child means that a Republican (or Democratic) legislator will automatically endorse same-sex marriage. I have heard countless times from legislators in state legislatures during debates talk about how they acknowledge and/or accept their child's sexuality, but cannot approve of same-sex marriage. And it does suck, since my parents are the same way.

[memphis]

On one hand, yay for progress. On the other hand, I can't help but take issue with the fact that this sounds like "I opposed same-sex marriage until I found out my son was gay".

^^^^^^^^^^^^
I was willing to support laws that help nobody and hurt millions of families until I realized that my family was one of those millions

[Grumpier Than Uncle Joe]

Certainly preferrable to "I opposed same-sex marriage until my pollsters told me not to."

Indeed.  Is Portman's shift really "worse" than Obama's?

No.