Republican Sen. Mark Kirk Endorses Marriage Equality

[JackBeck]

Source: BuzzFeed

Illinois Republican Senator Mark Kirk came out in support of marriage equality Tuesday shortly after the Supreme Court heard two potentially historic cases on gay rights.

"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," Kirk wrote on his blog.

"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."

Kirk is the second sitting Republican Senator to endorse marriage equality, following Ohio Republican Sen. Rob Portman last month.

Read more: http://www.buzzfeed.com/andrewkaczynski/republican-sen-mark-kirk-endorses-marriage-equality

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50 sitting Senators now support marriage equality.

[JoDog]

1. His stroke

really made him reconsider a lot of things he thought he believed in.

Thanks for coming over to our side Sen. Kirk. I'm sorry it took a big health scare for you to rethink some of your positions, but this Illinoisian is glad you are here with us now.

[alcibiades_mystery]

10. Kirk has been pro-LGBT since before his stroke

He campaigned on soft support for repealing DADT, and then was one of the few GOP votes on repealing DADT. That was before his stroke. He's actually been very good on LGBT issues, so this isn't that big of a surprise. The fact is that there is a powerful LGBT political bloc both in Kirk's old district and in Chicagoland in general, and you don't win Illinois without its support these days.

[brooklynite]

2. Paging Susan Collins...

The 21st Century is calling.

[mountain grammy]

3. Life is short, Senator. Glad you're realizing that

for the sake of marriage equality. Now think of how short life is for the child victims of gun violence who never get the chance to marry at all. Open your mind to the senseless and preventable deaths of innocents and back the ban on assault weapons.

[brooklynite]

4. By the way, anyone remember this nugget?

[div class="excerpt]Sen. Mark Kirk (R-Ill.) said he saw three angels in the hospital when he awoke from a stroke-induced coma in an interview published Wednesday. Kirk — who had a stroke almost a year ago — is set to walk up the U.S. Capitol building’s steps Thursday without any assistance. Kirk told suburban-Chicago’s The Daily Herald the angels asked him, “You want to come with us?” “No,” Kirk responded. “I’ll hold off.”

http://www.politico.com/story/2013/01/report-kirk-recalls-seeing-angels-85700.html?hp=l10

[TheCowsCameHome]

5. translation:

I see where my people are headed and I must run to the front and pretend I'm their leader.

[marshall]

9. I'll bet he wishes he could run

Doesn't he still have ambulatory problems?

[DonViejo]

6. Statement from Senator Kirk on Same-Sex Marriage

Tuesday, Apr 2

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.


###

http://www.kirk.senate.gov/?p=blog&id=686

[Liberal_Stalwart71]

7. He's up for reelection this year, isn't he?

[Freddie Stubbs]

11. No, 2016:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Classes_of_United_States_Senators#Class_3

[Liberal_Stalwart71]

13. Thanks. The other tool is up this year, I think. I can't even pronounce his name.

[Paulie]

17. You mean the democrat?

[JohnnyLib2]

8. Good.

[Doctor_J]

12. Miserable hypocrite

"Karl Rove told me to endorse marriage equality, so I am"

[global1]

14. Call Senator Kirk - Thank Him And Tell Him To Do The Right Thing On Guns.....

Please - any Illinoisans out there - call Kirk and tell him to do the right thing for those 20 kids and 6 adults that died in Sandy Hook.

[pampango]

15. Not gonna change tea party attitudes: POLL - Tea Party Members Adamantly Oppose Marriage Equality

A new Washington Post poll provides some insights into how people of various political persuasions feel about the issue of same-sex marriage. Overall, 53 percent of all respondents support legalizing same-sex marriage with 42 percent opposed, reflecting the majority support that has been documented over the past two years. Democrats (68 percent) and independents (57 percent) support marriage equality more strongly, whereas Republicans only offered 30 percent support. When divided into political party clusters, the poll found that only 6 percent of those who identify with the Tea Party movement support the freedom to marry, with 94 percent opposed:



http://thinkprogress.org/lgbt/2012/08/20/713021/poll-tea-party-members-adamantly-oppose-marriage-equality/

[TroglodyteScholar]

16. Must have learned someone he loves is gay.

There's no other believable explanation for a Republican changing his mind on the subject.