HomeLegislationHere Are The 12 Republicans Who Voted With Dems To Help Pass...

Here Are The 12 Republicans Who Voted With Dems To Help Pass Same-Sex Marriage Bill

Published on

Twelve Senate Republicans on Tuesday supported the final approval of a bill securing federal protections for same-sex marriage, allowing it to surpass the 60-vote threshold needed for passage.

The Republicans in the upper chamber who backed the bill were Sens. Susan Collins (Maine), Lisa Murkowski (Alaska), Rob Portman (Ohio), Thom Tillis (N.C.), Mitt Romney (Utah), Roy Blunt (Mo.), Cynthia Lummis (Wyo.), Richard Burr (N.C.), Shelley Moore Capito (W.Va.), Dan Sullivan (Alaska), Joni Ernst (Iowa), and Todd Young (Ind.).

The GOP senators’ support came as no surprise since they all supported advancing the legislation in a series of recent votes, and Tuesday’s 61-36 vote now sends the legislation back to the House, which previously passed a similar version, according to The Hill.

Three of the bill’s Republican supporters — Collins, Portman, and Tillis — served as lead negotiators.

“Tonight, the Senate took a historic step to help prevent discrimination, promote equality and protect the rights of all Americans by passing the Respect for Marriage Act that @SenatorBaldwin and I authored,” Collins wrote on Twitter. “Our bill would help ensure everyone is treated with respect and dignity.”

Some Republicans who supported the bill, including Lummis, said they did so while personally disagreeing with gay marriage.

“Wyoming is the Equality State, and while I firmly believe marriage is a sacred union between one man and one woman, I respect that others hold different beliefs,” Lummis said in a statement, citing her state’s constitution.

Romney, who earlier this fall was still undecided on the bill, similarly voiced approval after the Mormon church announced it supported the legislation. Romney is a longtime active member of the church.

“While I believe in traditional marriage, Obergefell is and has been the law of the land upon which LGBTQ individuals have relied. This legislation provides certainty to many LGBTQ Americans, and it signals that Congress — and I — esteem and love all of our fellow Americans equally,” Romney wrote in a statement after an earlier vote to advance the legislation.

All 50 Senate Democrats supported the same-sex legislation with the exception of Sen. Raphael Warnock, who missed Tuesday’s vote as he campaigned for Georgia’s upcoming runoff.

Retiring Sen. Pat Toomey (R-Pa.), who previously opposed a procedural vote on the bill, also missed the vote, in addition to Sen. Ben Sasse (R-Neb.).

Latest articles

Get The Daily Email!

More like this

THE RACE IS ON: Here’s Who’s Running For Speaker As GOP Seeks Third Nominee

The field of those gunning for the House GOP’s third nominee for Speaker is...

WATCH: Full Tucker Carlson Interview With Obama’s Alleged Gay Crack Lover.

Full Tucker Carlson Interview With Obama’s Alleged Gay Crack Lover.

Trump Dealt Huge Blow In E. Jean Carroll Defamation Lawsuit, Timing Not Good

E. Jean Carroll won a partial victory in her defamation lawsuit against former President Trump on Wednesday.