WASHINGTON – Mitt Romney’s selection of Rep. Paul Ryan (R-WI) as his running mate has quickly attracted widespread criticism from pro-LGBT organizations and individuals who support gay-rights. Ryan’s voting record in Congress – and his public remarks – make it clear that he does not support the dignity of LGBT Americans; a matter on which he is out-of-touch with the majority of Americans – even those within the Republican Party.
He made his views on marriage equality very clear when he said to David Gregory on Meet the Press in February. “I support the Wisconsin amendment to define marriage between a man and a woman … I don’t know why we are spending all this time talking about this. We’ve got a debt crisis coming and the administration just gave us a budget that simply just charts another path to debt and decline.”
Ryan does not support LGBT families, and has voted against allowing gay and lesbian couples to adopt. He voted against hate crime protections. He opposed repealing Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell, and he does not support marriage equality. Recent polling shows just how out-of-touch Ryan’s positions on LGBT equality are: support for marriage equality stands at 54 percent nationwide, with those between the ages of 18 – 34 supporting marriage equality by 73 percent; according to a June CNN/ORC International survey. Nearly 50 percent of Republicans under the age of 35 also support marriage equality, according to an NBC News/WSJ poll.
Responding to Ryan’s selection HRC President Chad Griffin said in a statement, “Ryan’s record of voting against fairness, dignity and equality is out of touch with the majority of Americans and a fast growing majority of Republicans. LGBT Americans need leadership that will continue to fight for their rights to protect their families, marry the person they love, and enjoy equal protections under the law.”
In the House, Ryan voted against hate crimes protections for LGBT people twice. He does not support marriage equality and has twice supported the Federal Marriage Amendment that would ban same-sex couples from marrying, and he supported a similar constitutional amendment in his home state of Wisconsin. Ryan does not support LGBT families – he voted in favor of banning gay and lesbian couples from adopting in the nation’s capital.
Mitt Romney has committed himself to vigorously pursuing a federal marriage amendment – a goal his running mate shares; defending the Defense of Marriage Act; and even setting up a McCarthy-like commission to investigate those who do not support NOM’s anti-LGBT views.
