Ron Johnson Won’t Support Marriage Equality Bill

U.S. Sen. Ron Johnson (R-WI), who had been considered a possible Republican vote on the Respect for Marriage bill, has now declared he does not intend to support the legislation in its current form. The bill would repeal the Defense of Marriage Act and recognize same-sex marriages across the country. In July, Johnson said he saw “no reason to oppose” the legislation.

Ron Johnson won’t support same-sex marriage bill in its current form, says 2015 Supreme Court ruling was ‘wrongly decided’ https://t.co/aFNdEQEHcO

— Journal Sentinel (@journalsentinel) September 7, 2022

More from the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel:

But speaking at a public meeting in Hartford last week, the Oshkosh Republican was definitive — saying he would not support the Respect for Marriage Act in its current form and indicating he believes the Supreme Court case giving same-sex couples the right to marry was “wrongly decided.”

He put out his July statement saying he wouldn’t oppose the legislation, he said, to get the press “off my backs.”

The Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade, which protected the right to abortion, he’s said, will not impact same-sex marriage.

Still, Democrats see the measure as pertinent after Justice Clarence Thomas wrote that the court should “reconsider” its previous due process precedents, including the 2015 Obergefell v. Hodges decision that gave same-sex couples the right to marry.

Johnson, who says he doesn’t believe a bill codifying same-sex marriage is necessary, also told supporters he believes the Obergefell ruling was “wrongly decided.” Related: Ron Johnson – Capitol Building Invasion Was ‘By And Large A Peaceful Protest’ Here’s audio of Johnson’s remarks: https://twitter.com/HeartlandSignal/status/1567607996275908610 Johnson’s colleagues, Sens. Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) and Susan Collins (R-ME) are reportedly are working on added language that would address religious liberty issues. In an op-ed published in the Washington Post yesterday, the two wrote that the proposed bill “leaves intact religious liberties and protections afforded to individuals and organizations under federal law.” https://twitter.com/DavidMixner/status/1566099801875283969