Ben West, one-half of the couple that successfully lobbied to overturn the ban on same-sex marriage in Oregon, is featured in a new commercial touting his support for Republican senatorial candidate Monica Wehby, reports Alexandra Jaffe on TheHill.com.
“Marrying my husband was the happiest day of my life. I was proud of Oregon and our country,” states West in the video. “But there’s a lot of work left to do. Whether it’s standing up for equality, for the unemployed, or for the next generation, we need leaders who have the courage to do what’s right. She’ll fight for every Oregon family, including mine.”
Ben’s husband, Paul Rummell, has endorsed Wehby as well.
The problem, as Democrats see it in this deeply blue state, is that while they are happy Wehby is supporting same-sex marriage, and by doing so becoming the first and only 2014 senatorial campaigner to do so, she is backed by the conservative billionaire Koch brothers.
Democratic Senator Jeff Merkley’s campaign spokeswoman Lindsey O’Brien said while the senator “welcomes [Wehby’s] election-eve change of heart” on gay marriage, it doesn’t change her position on other issues.
“[T]his new position won’t distract Oregonians from the anti-middle class agenda Wehby shares with the oil billionaire Koch brothers and national Republicans. The Wehby/Koch agenda would gut the Clean Air Act, give big tax breaks to millionaires and make it cheaper and easier to ship jobs overseas, and couldn’t be more damaging to Oregon’s families,” O’Brien said.
By “new position,” O’Brien is referring to comments made, or in her case didn’t make, back in May when Wehby was asked her position on same-sex marriage and demurred.
The issue of same-sex marriage among Republicans is becoming less of a cultural battle and, as a consequence, less of an issue among Republican voters who, polls have indicated time and time again, are more concerned about pocketbook issues.
