Former GOP presidential candidate Rick
Santorum on Saturday joined social conservatives in calling for the
ouster of Iowa Justice David Wiggins, one of the seven judges whose
unanimous 2009 ruling brought gay marriage to the Midwest.
Wiggins faces a nonpartisan retention
vote in the fall. In 2010, social conservatives, angry over the gay
marriage decision, axed three judges from the bench. The remaining
three justices are up for retention votes in 2016.
Last month, state Republican party
chairman A.J. Spiker, speaking on behalf of the party, criticized the
ruling as being based on “the whims of unelected activist judges
attempting to impose their personal views on the public” and called
for Wiggins' removal.
The Family Leader, a strong opponent of
gay marriage, announced at its Family Leader Summit 2012 that it
would direct the campaign against Wiggins.
“When you raise your hand you swear
an oath to the constitution and then you go outside of the
constitution, outside of your separation of powers to legislate from
the bench … we the people must hold a person like that in check,”
said Bob Vander Plaats, who leads the group.
Santorum urged roughly 1,000 people to
rally against Wiggins.
“You decide this Election Day to vote
out Justice Wiggins and send another strong message,” the AP quoted
Santorum as saying.