Alaska Senator Mark Begich on Monday
came out in support of gay marriage, making him the third Senate
Democrat to come out for the institution in recent days.
“I believe that same sex couples
should be able to marry and should have the same rights, privileges
and responsibilities as any other married couple,” Begich said in a
statement given to BuzzFeed.com.
“Government should keep out of
individuals' personal lives – if someone wants to marry someone
they love, they should be able to. Alaskans are fed up with
government intrusion into our private lives, our daily business, and
in the way we manage our resources and economy.”
Begich has previously not taken a
public position on the issue.
He follows close on the heels of two
Senate Democrats who this week announced their support: Senators Mark
Warner of Virginia and Claire
McCaskill of Missouri. Republican Senator Rob Portman earlier
this month reversed course on the issue, making him the only GOP
senator to buck the party's official stance.
(Related: Rob
Portman's gay son, Will Portman: Parents were “rock-solid
supportive.”)