PBS News Hour: on Civil Rights
Chris Christie:
Disagree with Supreme Court, but gay marriage is law of land
Christie said he disagreed with the majority Supreme Court decision to legalize gay marriage in all 50 states, but that he respects the ruling as "the law of the land."
In the past, the governor favored civil unions but not same-sex marriage. He dropped New Jersey's challenge to a court decision legalizing gay marriage in 2013.
Source: PBS News Hour "2016 Candidate Stands" series
Jun 30, 2015
Donald Trump:
Same-sex marriage is a state issue
What does Donald Trump believe? Social Issues: Marriage is between a man and a woman and should be defined state by state.In a Bloomberg interview in January, the businessman asserted that he personally believes marriage is between a man and a woman.
While he sees it as a state issue, Trump indicated that the Supreme Court could issue a ruling to determine the law.
Source: PBS News Hour "2016 Candidate Stands" series
Jun 16, 2015
Rick Perry:
Supported anti-sodomy laws; opposes gay marriage
Perry personally opposes gay marriage and argues that states should determine for themselves how to define marriage. Asked in April whether he would attend a hypothetical gay wedding, he answered, "probably."
On homosexuality, Perry has supported anti-sodomy laws. In his book, "Fed Up!" he disagreed with the landmark Supreme Court decision which ruled such laws unconstitutional.
Source: PBS News Hour "2016 Candidate Stands" series
Jun 3, 2015
Lindsey Graham:
Accept the Supreme Court ruling to allow gay marriage
Graham says the nation should accept the Supreme Court decision on gay marriage. Speaking to the Boston Herald Radio in May,
Graham said he personally believes in traditional marriage," but that America must be ready to move on following the decision of the Supreme Court on the issue.
Source: PBS News Hour "2016 Candidate Stands" series
Jun 1, 2015
George Pataki:
Leave rules of same-sex marriage to the states
Pataki would leave the definition of marriage to states. On same-sex marriage, Pataki believes the issue should be left up to the states.
Pataki's personal position on gay marriage currently is unclear. As governor, he did not support gay marriage and has never publically changed his stance.
Source: PBS News Hour "2016 Candidate Stands" series
May 28, 2015
Mike Huckabee:
Amendment to overturn Supreme Court decision on gay marriage
Huckabee would push for a Constitutional amendment to reverse the Supreme Court's gay marriage decision. Huckabee voiced sharp opposition to the Supreme Court's June ruling on gay marriage, writing that the prevailing justices acted
as a "judicial tyranny" that must be resisted. The former Arkansas governor is calling for a Constitutional amendment to define marriage as between one man and one woman. He also opposes allowing same-sex couples to adopt children.
Source: PBS News Hour "2016 Candidate Stands" series
May 5, 2015
Carly Fiorina:
Supreme Court overstepped by legalizing same-sex marriage
Fiorina believes the Supreme Court overstepped its boundaries when it ruled that same-sex marriage should be allowed in all 50 states. She has not indicated yet if she believes the issue is settled law or if she would push for a Constitutional amendment
to reverse the court decision. When running for U.S. Senate in 2010, the former CEO supported California's Proposition 8 to make same-sex marriage illegal and said that gay couples should be afforded the right to civil unions and other legal benefits.
Source: PBS News Hour "2016 Candidate Stands" series
May 4, 2015
Ben Carson:
Homosexuality is a choice, but same-sex marriage is the law
In a statement issued after the Supreme Court ruling, Carson wrote that he disagrees with the decision to legalize same-sex marriage but that it is now the law of the land.
The physician previously has argued that homosexuality is a choice and that he personally believes marriage is between a man and a woman.
Source: PBS News Hour "2016 Candidate Stands" series
May 3, 2015
Marco Rubio:
I oppose gay marriage, but it's the law of the land
Rubio says the Supreme Court decision on gay marriage is the law of the land. Rubio disagreed with the decision legalizing same-sex unions in all fifty states but said that Americans must abide by the ruling. Personally, Rubio says he believes marriage
is between a man and a woman. Holding a nuanced position on Indiana's Religious Freedom Restoration Act, Rubio believes some kinds of businesses, like wedding photography, should be allowed to turn away gay customers, and others, like hotels, should not.
Source: PBS News Hour "2016 Candidate Stands" series
Apr 13, 2015
Ted Cruz:
Most states can ignore Supreme Court legalizing gay marriage
Following the Supreme Court's decision nationalizing same-sex marriage, Cruz told NPR that only the four states listed in the Supreme Court case (Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio and Tennessee) must abide by the ruling and that other states should ignore it.
The Texas senator also said he now wants to abolish lifetime appointment to the court and subject justices to periodic election instead. Cruz believes marriage is between a man and a woman and that states should define the term "marriage" for themselves.
Source: PBS News Hour "2016 Candidate Stands" series
Mar 23, 2015
Page last updated: Dec 07, 2018