Rick Santorum on Monday met with
opponents of gay marriage in Olympia, Washington as Governor Chris
Gregoire signed legislation making Washington
the seventh state to legalize gay marriage.
Santorum privately met with religious
leaders at a noontime meeting held at a church, The
Seattle Times reported.
Opponents have said they are moving
forward with plans to put the issue up for a vote.
“I encouraged them to continue the
fight,” Santorum told the paper. “There are ebbs and flows in
every battle, and this is not the final word.”
Santorum, who is considered the GOP
presidential field's most vociferous opponent of marriage equality,
added that the debate needs to be respectful.
“There are legitimate reasons that
people have to want to have to change the law, and there are
legitimate reasons that people have to want to keep the law in
place,” he said. “If you keep it at that level, don't make it
personal, make it about what is best for society, then I think we'll
be fine.”
(Related: Rick
Santorum tells mother of gay son that he's engaging in unhealthy
activity.)