HOUSTON — Houston mayor Annise Parker is firing back at Republicans who say her marriage to longtime partner last week was politically motivated.
Last week, Parker married Kathy Hubbard, her partner of 23 years, in Palm Springs, Calif. But within hours of the nuptials, some Republican leaders in Texas blasted Parker by questioning her motives behind their marriage, reported KHOU-TV.
“I am not shocked that Mayor Parker decided to elope to California for a marriage that is unconstitutional in Texas,” said State Sen. Dan Patrick, a conservative talk radio host fighting a tough GOP primary campaign for lieutenant governor. “This is obviously part of a larger strategy of hers to turn Texas into California.”
And Harris County GOP Chairman Jared Woodfill accused Parker of “trying to bring California values to Texas.”
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But Parker wasn’t having the criticism: She said Patrick “wants to make the gay community a whipping boy” in his political campaign, and that “Woodfill is a little like a windup doll … I say something and he goes on TV and says this is something I planned. It’s part of my grand agenda to promote gay rights.”
“You don’t commit 23 years of your life to someone to make a political statement,” said Parker. “I took four days off. I had to leave my home state and make a little wedge of time to marry the woman I love. They can get over it.”
