Ohio Governor John Kasich on Wednesday
reiterated his opposition to marriage and civil unions for gay and
lesbian couples.
In comments to Scripps
Media, Kasich, a Republican, appeared to endorse civil unions.
“I've got friends that are gay and
I've told them, 'Look [marriage equality] is just not something I
agree with,' and I'm not doing it out of a sense of anger or
judgment; it's just my opinion on this issue,” Kasich said. “I
just think marriage is between a man and a woman, but if you want to
have a civil union, that's fine with me.”
However, according to Kasich spokesman
Rob Nichols, the governor was using the term “civil union”
loosely.
“The governor's position is
unchanged,” Nichols wrote in an email. “He opposes gay marriage
and opposes changing Ohio's Constitution to allow for civil unions.
He's opposed to discrimination against any Ohioan and, while he may
have used the term 'civil union' loosely in this instance, he
recognizes the existing rights of Ohioans to enter into private
contracts to manage their personal property and health care issues.”
An effort to repeal the state's
marriage ban could go before voters as early as November.
(Related: Jennifer
Tyrrell, Zach Wahls join effort to repeal Ohio's gay marriage ban.)