North Dakota Senator Heidi Heitkamp on
Friday announced her support for gay marriage, saying that the
“importance of family is enduring.”
Heitkamp, a Democrat, announced her
support in a statement.
“In speaking with North Dakotans from
every corner of our great state, and much personal reflection, I have
concluded the federal government should no longer discriminate
against people who want to make lifelong, loving commitments to each
other or interfere in personal, private, and intimate relationships,”
Heitkamp said. “I view the ability of anyone to marry as a logical
extension of this belief. The makeup of families is changing, but the
importance of family is enduring.”
Heitkamp is the third Democratic
senator to announce support for marriage equality in the past 24
hours. On Thursday, Florida
Senator Bill Nelson said that he could not discriminate against
gays because “The Lord made homosexuals as well as heterosexuals.”
And Indiana Senator
Joe Donnelly said Friday that backing the institution was “the
right thing to do.”
This new round of endorsements boosts
the number of senators in favor of marriage equality to 53, a number
which includes two Republicans, Senators Rob Portman of Ohio and Mark
Kirk of Illinois.
Only four Democratic senators remain
publicly opposed. They are: Mark Pryor of Arkansas, Joe Manchin of
West Virginia, Mary Landrieu of Louisiana and Tim Johnson of South
Dakota.