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Report: U.S. Sen. Mark Begich of Alaska now supports marriage equality

Report: U.S. Sen. Mark Begich of Alaska now supports marriage equality

U.S. Sen. Mark Begich (D-Alaska) late Monday night joined the growing chorus of Democratic senators to announce support for marriage equality for same-sex couples, according to a report by BuzzFeed.

U.S. Sen. Mark Begich (D-Alaska)

Although Begich has not issued a press release, or any public statements via social media, BuzzFeed reports that the Human Rights Campaign said Monday afternoon that Begich’s office had told the LGBT rights organization that the Senator supported the following statement:

“I believe that same-sex couples should be able to marry and should have the same rights, privileges and responsibilities as any other married couple,” according to a statement by Begich, and obtained by Buzzfeed.

“Government should keep out of individuals’ personal lives—if someone wants to marry someone they love, they should be able to. Alaskans are fed up with government intrusion into our private lives, our daily business, and in the way we manage our resources and economy,” he said.

If confirmed, Begich would be the fourth Democratic Senator this week to publicly support marriage equality.

Earlier today, U.S. Sen. Jon Tester, a Democrat from Montana who has previously opposed same-sex marriage, said he now supports marriage equality for gays and lesbian couples.

On Monday, U.S. Sen. Mark Warner of Virginia reversed his previously held opposition to same-sex marriage, saying “it is the fair and right thing to do.”

And on Sunday evening, U.S. Sen. Claire McCaskill, a moderate Democrat from Missouri, who previously refused to take a public opinion on the issue of same-sex marriage, also announced that she supports marriage equality for gay and lesbian couples.

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