Rick Santorum, a leading opponent of
gay marriage, said Wednesday that he is also opposed to civil unions
for gay and lesbian couples.
When CBS
Evening News correspondent Dean Reynolds asked Santorum his
stance on the issue, the former Pennsylvania Senator responded that
gay couples should obtain their rights through the legal system.
“I believe in people's right to be
able to contract for whatever benefits that they have,” he said.
“I believe in freedom of contract and
people should be able to contract for hospitalization visits, being
able to take insurance polices or life insurance,” he said. “And
I've encouraged folks if they want to build those relationships to do
that.”
The comment comes just days after
Santorum agreed that gay
couples raising children are families.
Santorum has previously said that he
respects people's “decision” to be gay, but that society benefits
from defining marriage as a heterosexual union.
“I have friends who are gay,”
Santorum told Fox News host Megyn Kelly in August. “It's not
personal. It's about policy.”