The U.S. Senate on Tuesday confirmed
Massachusetts Senator John Kerry to be the next secretary of state,
making him the first person to support gay marriage while holding the
post.
Hillary Clinton, the current secretary,
will leave the administration at the end of this week.
Democratic West Virginia Senator Joe
Manchin called the vote.
“The yeas are 94, the nays are 3 and
one responded present,” Manchin announced after the vote. “And
the nomination of John Forbes Kerry of Massachusetts to be our new
secretary of state is confirmed.”
Kerry, who has served in the Senate
since 1985, has consistently scored 100 percent on the Human Rights
Campaign's (HRC) Congressional Scorecard, a measure of lawmakers'
support for gay rights.
While Clinton has championed gay rights
during her 4-year tenure, she has yet to endorse marriage equality.
She last weighed in on the issue last year in a profile for gay
glossy The Advocate.
When asked if she agrees with her
husband on the issue, Clinton
responded: “Well, I share his experience because we obviously
share a lot of the same friends, but I have not changed my position,”
she said.
Several reports surfaced in December
stating that the former first lady will make an endorsement once she
leaves the Obama administration.
Last year, former
Secretary of State Colin Powell announced his support.