Utah Sen. Orrin Hatch breaks with Romney, GOP over federal ban on same-sex marriage

Source: LGBTQnation

TAMPA, Fla. — Utah’s senior U.S. Senator and an influential voice in the Republican party broke ranks Tuesday with GOP presidential nominee Mitt Romney and the party’s platform, differing on support for a constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriage.

Sen. Orrin Hatch, speaking on the convention floor to Sirius Q XM radio, said, “I’m a believer that the states should be able to make their own determination. There are about, what, six states that have done it? They’ve chosen to do that. I don’t agree with that, because I believe in the sanctity of the marriage covenant and the traditional definition, but the states have a right to do it.”

Hatch, who is running for reelection this year, said that he felt it should be a state’s rights issue.

“Well, my personal belief is that we should not discriminate against anybody, but I do draw the line at the definition of marriage,’ he said. “I think that it’s a very important thing for men, women and children. But I don’t want to see anybody showing prejudice against anybody.”


Read more: http://www.lgbtqnation.com/2012/08/utah-sen-orrin-hatch-breaks-with-romney-gop-over-federal-ban-on-same-sex-marriage/