Tomorrow's openly gay Republican Jim Kolbe's last day in office. What better time, then, for the openly gay Republican to own up to some of his less-than-progressive votes. In an interview with Arizona Daily Star, Kolbe sticks to his federalist guns by saying gay marriage should be decided by states: a stance he took when he voted for the controversial Defense of Marriage Act in 1996. Looking back on that vote, however, Kolbe mourns the rights lost.

His regret on that vote centers on the act's failure to grant participants in gay marriages, in states where they are legal, the right to federal benefits such as Social Security and Medicare earned by one's partner — the same rights that spouses in traditional marriages have.
"What I would say now … I recognize that we have to have some protection at the federal level," Kolbe said.

Gee, thanks Kolbe. Although, we don't really expect much from a man who came out only after The Advocate threatened to out him.