Texas Governor Rick Perry has said he
supports a state's right to decide issues such as gay marriage.
The potential presidential candidate
told a crowd in Aspen that he's fine with New York's recent decision
to become the sixth state to legalize the institution.
“Our friends in New York six weeks
ago passed a statute that said marriage can be between two people of
the same sex. And you know what? That's New York, and that's their
business, and that's fine with me,” Perry said.
Perry made his remarks at a forum held
by the Aspen Institute. The event coincided with the Republican
Governors Association's convention, which is being held in Aspen.
Also in attendance were Republican Governors Scott Walker of
Wisconsin, Nikki Haley of South Carolina, Susana Martinez of New
Mexico and Bob McDonnell of Virginia, the AP reported.
The governor added that he believes in
the 10th amendment, but went on to call himself an
“unapologetic social conservative” and affirmed his opposition to
marriage equality.
Perry's views mirror those of Minnesota
Rep. Michele Bachmann, who opposes gay marriage but has affirmed her
support for states to decide the issue.
“In New York state, they have passed
the law at the state legislative level and, under the 10th
amendment, the states have the right to set the laws that they want
to set,” Bachmann told Fox News Sunday host Chris Wallace
soon after passage of the law last month.
“That's up to the people of New
York,” the presidential candidate responded when Wallace noted that
she opposes such rights.
Bachmann went on to endorse a federal
constitutional amendment banning gay and lesbian couples from
marrying.