Arizona Senator Jeff Flake, a
Republican, said Sunday that he could someday back a GOP presidential
candidate who supports gay marriage.
Appearing on NBC News' Meet The
Press, guest host Chuck Todd asked Flake, “Could you support a
Republican presidential candidate someday who supported same-sex
marriage?”
“Oh, I think that's inevitable,”
Flake answered. “There will be one, and I think he'll receive
Republican support, or she will. So I think that yes, that the
answer is yes.”
When pressed on whether he supports
such unions, Flake replied that he does not.
“And where are you on this issue, you
say it's inevitable. Are you … Lisa Murkowski, a Republican
colleague of yours, called it evolving on the issue. Are you
evolving, to use her words, on this issue?” Todd asked.
“I believe that marriage should be
between a man and a woman. I still hold to the traditional
definition of marriage.”
“Can you imagine changing your
position before you left the U.S. Senate?”
“I can't,” Flake said. “I tell
you, in the past I've supported repealing 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell.'
I've supported the [Employment] Nondiscrimination Act [ENDA] as well.
But I hold to the traditional definition of marriage.”
(Watch
the entire segment at NBC News.)