Kansas Governor Sam Brownback has
reiterated his opposition to gay marriage and vowed to defend the
state's ban on such unions.
Brownback made his comments during a
televised debate Monday against Democratic rival Paul Davis.
Davis said that while he does not
support the state's voter approved constitutional amendment limiting
marriage to heterosexual couples, he does respect the people's
decision.
“The fact of the matter is that at
this particular time there is nothing I can do, there is nothing Gov.
Brownback can do to impact this issue,” Davis said. “It is in
the court system.”
Brownback replied that there is
something he can do as governor: “defend our constitution.”
Kansas is the lone state resisting two
separate Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals rulings striking down gay
marriage bans in Oklahoma and Utah. The court's rulings took effect
last week after the Supreme Court refused to hear appeals in the
cases.
A federal judge has scheduled a hearing
for Friday to consider an ACLU request to force the state to comply
with the rulings and allow gay and lesbian couples to marry in
Kansas.
(Related: Tim
Huelskamp, Sam Brownback campaign against gay marriage in Kansas.)