Joe Lhota, a leading Republican New
York City mayoral candidate, supports gay marriage.
Lhota last month resigned as head of
the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) to pursue the GOP
nomination.
In an interview with CBS
New York, Lhota said he would officiate over the marriage of a
gay or lesbian couple if asked.
The 58-year-old Lhota has also served
as New York City Deputy Mayor of Operations under Rudy Giuliani.
He's also held positions as the city's budget director, served as the
commissioner of finance for the city, and was a board member of the
MTA before heading the organization.
If Lhota becomes the GOP nominee, he
would likely face New York City Council Speaker Christine Quinn in
the general election. Quinn, who has yet to announce her bid, is
considered the front runner on the Democratic side.
If elected in November, Quinn, who
married her longtime partner, lawyer Kim Catullo, in May, would
become the city's first openly gay mayor. And the first legally
married, openly gay politician to lead a major U.S. city.
(Related: Christine
Quinn's mayoral bid endorsed by New York's leading gay group.)