A new TV ad by New Jersey Congressman
Steve Rothman highlights his support for gay marriage.
The ad, titled Our Values, began
airing Tuesday.
“Our Congressman Steve Rothman shares
our Democratic values,” a female announcer is heard saying in the
30-second spot. “Steve was the first New Jersey Congressman to
call for our troops to come home from Iraq. The first to endorse
Barack Obama for president. And one of the first to stand up for
marriage equality.”
“I'm Steve Rothman, and I approve
this message, because I've always stood up for our progressive values
and I always will,” Rothman says. (The video is embedded in the
right panel of this page. Visit
our video library for more videos.)
Steven Goldstein, chairman of Garden
State Equality, New Jersey's largest gay rights advocate, applauded
the ad.
“It certainly is the first time in
the history of New Jersey that any candidate for major office has
showcased marriage equality in a television ad,” he told
NorthJersey.com.
“It may well be a first nationally.”
Earlier this year, Fred Karger, a
Republican candidate for president, released
an ad in New Hampshire promoting his support for such unions.
Rothman's campaign said it has bought
more than $500,000 worth of airtime for the ad.
New Jersey remains a battleground state
on the issue of marriage equality. Activists
have made overriding Governor Chris Christie's veto of a gay marriage
law approved earlier this year by lawmakers a priority. A
lawsuit is also making its way through the courts.