PHOENIX — U.S. Congressman Matt Salmon says he isn’t ready to change his opinion on same-sex marriage, despite the fact that he has an openly gay son.
The Arizona Republican, who has maintained a reputation as a staunch social conservative throughout his political career, tells KTVK-TV in Phoenix that he loves his gay son “more than I can say,” he doesn’t believe his son Matt R., deserves the freedom to marry.
“I’m just not there in believing in my heart,” said Salmon.
Salmon, a devout Mormon, voted in favor of the Defense of Marriage Act in 1996. In 2006, his wife Nancy campaigned for Proposition 107, which sought to ban same-sex marriage, civil unions, and domestic partnershipships in Arizona.
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Matt R. is president of the Arizona chapter of the Log Cabin Republicans, and his former partner is Kent Flake, second cousin of U.S. Sen. Jeff Flake (R-Ariz.).
Sen. Flake says he will not be evolving on the issue of same-sex marriage anytime soon either.
Republican Sen. Rob Portman from Ohio recently announced that he had changed his opinion on same-sex marriage after learning that his son is gay.
