Republican presidential candidate Ben
Carson called on Congress this week to protect the rights of Kim
Davis, the Kentucky clerk who objects to gay marriage based on her
religious faith.
Davis, the elected clerk of Rowan
County, served five days in jail for refusing to comply with a
federal judge's ruling ordering her to issue marriage licenses to all
qualified couples. Davis has said that issuing
marriage licenses to gay and lesbian couples was a “heaven or hell”
decision for her.
(Related: Kim
Davis won't say whether she'll abide by order in gay marriage
dispute.)
In an interview with West Palm Beach's
CBS12, Carson backed Davis.
“I do believe in God. I believe in
Jesus Christ,” Carson
said.
“Congress has a responsibility to
step up and create legislation that will protect the religious rights
of all Americans.”
“When [Davis] took the job, the
Supreme Court hadn't made this ruling. If they had, she might not
have taken this job. So I think they have a responsibility to
accommodate her,” he added.
The issue has divided GOP candidates,
with former HP
CEO Carly Fiorina, real
estate mogul Donald Trump and Ohio
Governor John Kasich saying that Davis must follow the law, while
Texas Senator Ted Cruz and former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee
have rushed to her side.
(Related: Mike
Huckabee offers to take Kim Davis' place in jail.)