Former GOP presidential candidate Rick
Santorum will address a Washington state anti-gay marriage group in
October.
Santorum will appear at two events
sponsored by the Family Policy Institute of Washington, the Christian
conservative group which worked to put the state's gay marriage law
on the fall ballot.
The group's director, Joseph Backholm,
chairs Preserve Marriage Washington, which is organizing the campaign
to repeal the law.
Referendum 74 will ask voters to either
uphold or reject the marriage equality law approved by lawmakers
earlier this year.
Santorum visited the state in
February on the same day Governor Chris Gregoire signed the bill into
law.
During a press conference, he spoke out
against marriage equality, saying that as president he would push for
a federal amendment banning such unions.
“We have a serious issue about trying
to get moms and dads to marry and stay together,” he said, “and I
don't see this [legalizing gay marriage] as encouraging that.”
At a rally held in Tacoma, protesters
yelled “gay marriage is OK” at the Republican.