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| Republican senator's son 'proud' of father's gay marriage U-turn | Republican senator's son 'proud' of father's gay marriage U-turn |
| (4 months later) | |
| The son of Rob Portman – the Ohio senator who earlier this month declared his support of same-sex marriage – has spoken in detail for the first time about his father's change of heart. | The son of Rob Portman – the Ohio senator who earlier this month declared his support of same-sex marriage – has spoken in detail for the first time about his father's change of heart. |
| In a lengthy column in his college newspaper, published on Monday, Will Portman praised his father's "thoughtful and open-minded" approach to the issue, and discussed how he agonised over coming out to his parents and friends. | In a lengthy column in his college newspaper, published on Monday, Will Portman praised his father's "thoughtful and open-minded" approach to the issue, and discussed how he agonised over coming out to his parents and friends. |
| Portman, a 21-year-old junior at Yale, also spoke of his "relief" after his father, who became the first sitting Republican senator to declare his support for gay marriage, was not chosen to be Mitt Romney's running mate for the 2008 presidential bid. Portman said Romney's decision to select Paul Ryan instead meant he "avoided the spotlight of a presidential campaign". | Portman, a 21-year-old junior at Yale, also spoke of his "relief" after his father, who became the first sitting Republican senator to declare his support for gay marriage, was not chosen to be Mitt Romney's running mate for the 2008 presidential bid. Portman said Romney's decision to select Paul Ryan instead meant he "avoided the spotlight of a presidential campaign". |
| The article came a day before the supreme court is due to hear oral arguments in two landmark gay marriage cases, and amid a fierce political debate. Claire McCaskill, a Democratic senator with a narrow majority in Missouri, announced her support for gay marriage on Sunday. Hillary Clinton, seen as a likely presidential candidate in 2016, did the same last week. On Sunday Karl Rove said he could foresee a candidate for the Republican nomination for president in 2016 supporting same-sex marriage. | The article came a day before the supreme court is due to hear oral arguments in two landmark gay marriage cases, and amid a fierce political debate. Claire McCaskill, a Democratic senator with a narrow majority in Missouri, announced her support for gay marriage on Sunday. Hillary Clinton, seen as a likely presidential candidate in 2016, did the same last week. On Sunday Karl Rove said he could foresee a candidate for the Republican nomination for president in 2016 supporting same-sex marriage. |
| Writing in the Yale Daily News, Portman said he feared how his friends and family would react if he came out. He eventually wrote to his parents in February 2011. | Writing in the Yale Daily News, Portman said he feared how his friends and family would react if he came out. He eventually wrote to his parents in February 2011. |
| "They called as soon as they got the letter. They were surprised to learn I was gay, and full of questions, but absolutely rock-solid supportive. That was the beginning of the end of feeling ashamed about who I was," Portman wrote. | "They called as soon as they got the letter. They were surprised to learn I was gay, and full of questions, but absolutely rock-solid supportive. That was the beginning of the end of feeling ashamed about who I was," Portman wrote. |
| Just over a year later, Portman's father would become one of the frontrunners to be Mitt Romney's nominee for vice-president. "The rest of my family and I had given him the go-ahead to enter the vetting process. My dad told the Romney campaign that I was gay, that he and my mom were supportive and proud of their son, and that we'd be open about it on the campaign trail. | Just over a year later, Portman's father would become one of the frontrunners to be Mitt Romney's nominee for vice-president. "The rest of my family and I had given him the go-ahead to enter the vetting process. My dad told the Romney campaign that I was gay, that he and my mom were supportive and proud of their son, and that we'd be open about it on the campaign trail. |
| "When he ultimately wasn't chosen for the ticket, I was pretty relieved to have avoided the spotlight of a presidential campaign." | "When he ultimately wasn't chosen for the ticket, I was pretty relieved to have avoided the spotlight of a presidential campaign." |
| Rob Portman revealed on 15 March that learning Will was gay had "prompted me to consider the issue from another perspective". Will Portman tweeted on the same day that he was "proud" of his father's stance, and he echoed that comment on Monday. | Rob Portman revealed on 15 March that learning Will was gay had "prompted me to consider the issue from another perspective". Will Portman tweeted on the same day that he was "proud" of his father's stance, and he echoed that comment on Monday. |
| "I'm proud of my dad, not necessarily because of where he is now on marriage equality (although I'm pretty psyched about that), but because he's been thoughtful and open-minded in how he's approached the issue, and because he's shown that he's willing to take a political risk in order to take a principled stand. | "I'm proud of my dad, not necessarily because of where he is now on marriage equality (although I'm pretty psyched about that), but because he's been thoughtful and open-minded in how he's approached the issue, and because he's shown that he's willing to take a political risk in order to take a principled stand. |
| "He was a good man before he changed his position, and he's a good man now, just as there are good people on either side of this issue today." | "He was a good man before he changed his position, and he's a good man now, just as there are good people on either side of this issue today." |
| He said his own "reluctance to make my private life public" had been a "factor" in the delay between Rob Portman learning he was gay and supporting same sex marriage. | He said his own "reluctance to make my private life public" had been a "factor" in the delay between Rob Portman learning he was gay and supporting same sex marriage. |
| Portman remains the only sitting Republican senator to be publicly in support of same-sex marriage. McCaskill announced her own support on Tumblr on Sunday, saying her views had "changed over time". | Portman remains the only sitting Republican senator to be publicly in support of same-sex marriage. McCaskill announced her own support on Tumblr on Sunday, saying her views had "changed over time". |
| "I have come to the conclusion that our government should not limit the right to marry based on who you love," she wrote. "While churches should never be required to conduct marriages outside of their religious beliefs, neither should the government tell people who they have a right to marry." | "I have come to the conclusion that our government should not limit the right to marry based on who you love," she wrote. "While churches should never be required to conduct marriages outside of their religious beliefs, neither should the government tell people who they have a right to marry." |
| Last week, a Washington Post-ABC News poll showed record support for gay marriage, with 58% of Americans believing it should be made legal. Thirty-six percent were opposed. | Last week, a Washington Post-ABC News poll showed record support for gay marriage, with 58% of Americans believing it should be made legal. Thirty-six percent were opposed. |
| That poll came as Hillary Clinton said she supported marriage for gay and lesbian couples "personally and as a matter of policy and law". | That poll came as Hillary Clinton said she supported marriage for gay and lesbian couples "personally and as a matter of policy and law". |
| Despite growing support from the public and Democratic politicians, however, the vast majority of sitting Republicans remain opposed. But the debate about gay rights is active within the GOP: on Sunday Republican strategist Karl Rove said he "could" imagine a future presidential candidate supporting same-sex marriage. | Despite growing support from the public and Democratic politicians, however, the vast majority of sitting Republicans remain opposed. But the debate about gay rights is active within the GOP: on Sunday Republican strategist Karl Rove said he "could" imagine a future presidential candidate supporting same-sex marriage. |
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