While serving as governor of Utah, I pushed for civil unions and expanded reciprocal benefits for gay citizens. I did so not because of political pressure—indeed, at the time 70 percent of Utahns were opposed—but because as governor my role was to work for everybody, even those who didn’t have access to a powerful lobby. Civil unions, I believed, were a practical step that would bring all citizens more fully into the fabric of a state they already were—and always had been—a part of.
That was four years ago. Today we have an opportunity to do more: conservatives should start to lead again and push their states to join the nine others that allow all their citizens to marry.
I’ve been married for 29 years. My marriage has been the greatest joy of my life. There is nothing conservative about denying other Americans the ability to forge that same relationship with the person they love.”
Former Utah Governor and Republican presidential candidate Jon Huntsman, declaring his support for marriage equality, in the American Conservative.
Photo: Gage Skidmore
Fidelio
To be totally honest (because, you know, it’s Queerty), if Huntsman had won the Republican primary I would have ended up voting for him instead of Obama. Huntsman represents a new class of politician, one who espouses conservative fiscal policies and liberal social values. I admire him tremendously and if the GOP had any sense they’d pull their heads out of their ass and get smart about their future. But, hey, who am I to get in the way of their epic implosion.
1EqualityUSA
I wouldn’t have voted for Huntsman, but he’s the only candidate that didn’t make vomit a little in my mouth. Mormons scare the pie out of me. LDS is a creepy, nefarious, counterfeit cult with no historical nor archeological basis. That is a flaw that cannot be disregarded. His ideas aren’t horrible and they make too much sense to be taken seriously by the Party of, “NO.” Rubio’s a wanker, having partaken in all of the programs that assisted him to be what he is today and now that he’s made it, he wants to cut the very programs that helped him. wad. Christie is crusty, but he’s an ass as far as marriage equality, which makes Mark Zuckerberg an ass by proxy, for supporting this BIGot. I wish the Democrats would be more fiscally prudent, but equality is too important an issue on which to acquiesce. so, “no” to GOP for a few more decades, no matter how they morph into what they think the country wants. The trust is gone.
nowliveit
Thank you sir but we have already learned that you are a consciously aware republican and could not be stomached by your party in the primaries because you must be a left-leaning commie sympathizer ;-)thus you certainly must have a target on your back by the Tea
Party. Republicans = the party where sanity, reason and decency towards your fellow man
erikwm
I applaud Governor Hunstman, but in the near term, he has no future in the Republican Party. The problem with the GOP is not any one politician, it’s the Republican voter. The Republican base is chock full of old, paranoid bigots at war with the modern world. The party won’t change until its members change. That won’t occur until nature runs its course.
That said, Hunstman is only 52 years old and perhaps in 10 years there will have been enough generational change within the party to allow him another chance. But for now, that door is closed.
CM79
Not every republican is a rich old white man. People like to push that as being the image of the average Repub. and it isn’t true. There are plenty of young republicans and there are plenty of female republicans.
That being said, I agree that Huntsman has no future in the Republican party if he is this socially liberal. I can’t imagine that he has a real connection with his base. He may as well be a Democrat.
jwrappaport
@Fidelio: Ditto. Would have voted for him over O any day.
alexoloughlin
Sounds a bit like conservative British Prime Minister David Cameron’s support for equal marriage back in 2010 when he said he supports equal marriage because he is a conservative.