Sen. Rob Portman (R-OH) is now in favor of gay marriage after his son told him that he is gay.
“I’m announcing today a change of heart on an issue that a lot of people feel strongly about that has to do with gay couples’ opportunity to marry,” Portman told CNN on Thursday evening. “I’ve come to the conclusion that for me, personally, I think this is something that we should allow people to do, to get married, and to have the joy and stability of marriage that I’ve had for over 26 years. That I want all of my children to have, including our son, who is gay,”
Portman’s son, who is a junior in college, told Portman he was gay while he was a freshman in college.
He said his reaction was, “Love. Support.”
Portman, who had supported a Constitutional Amendment defining marriage as a union between a man and a woman, said he also told the Romney campaign during the vice presidential vetting process that his son was gay and said Romney’s advisers told him that was not one of the reasons the campaign ultimately decided to pick Rep. Paul Ryan (R-WI) as Romney’s running mate.
“I told Mitt Romney everything,” said Portman with a laugh. “That process is, intrusive would be one way to put it. But, no, yeah, I told him everything.”
Portman said he also sought the counsel of former Vice President Dick Cheney, whose daughter is a lesbian and favors gay marriage, and said he is making his feelings known publicly now because he feels comfortable with it and knew reporters would ask him questions about gay marriage because the Supreme Court will soon issue an opinion on the matter.
“I thought it was the right time to let folks know where I stand so there’s no confusion, so I would be clear about it,” Portman said.
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