Steve Lonegan, the Republican candidate
from New Jersey vying for the U.S. Senate, has described gay
parenting as a “biological phenomenon.”
Appearing opposite his Democratic
rival, Newark Mayor Cory Booker, during a televised debate on
Wednesday, Lonegan was asked his position on marriage for gay and
lesbian couples.
“Marriage between a man and a woman
is the greatest institution ever devised by the minds of man to raise
a child,” Lonegan answered. “And that's what this is about.
It's about children. And I'm going to support traditional marriage.”
(Related: New
Jersey judge won't delay order legalizing gay marriage.)
“However, I do believe in liberty and
the rights of adults to live their lives the way they choose.
Consequentially, I do not want other groups forcing their new value
system down the throats of my Catholic Church, evangelical church,
protestant churches, and overriding our institutional religious
beliefs.”
Booker, a long-time supporter of
marriage equality, insisted that the government must treat all
citizens equally.
“And this is the problem: He says
that he supports liberty but you can't be free to marry who you love.
He says he supports liberty but he wants politicians getting between
a woman and her doctor about making their own health care decisions.”
In a follow up, moderator Jim
Rosenfield asked Lonegan: “You said this is about children. So are
you saying same-sex couples should not be allowed to have children?”
“That would be a biological
phenomenon,” Lonegan answered, apparently unaware that in some
states up to twenty-six percent of gay couples are raising children,
some from previous relationships.
(Related: Mississippi
tops states with gay parents.)
“There is adoption. There is
artificial insemination ...”
“I have a question about how healthy
that will be in the long run for those children. And I have mixed
feelings about that. I will admit I have mixed feelings about that,”
he answered.