Ken Mehlman, the former chairman of the
Republican National Committee (RNC), is urging New York GOP lawmakers
to legalize gay marriage.
Mehlman privately met with a handful
of undecided senators on Monday, The
Times Union reported.
“It is very much consistent with
Republican interests and also Republican principles,” he told
reporters.
“We are the party that stands for
freedom, the party that wants to promote more families and family
values and the party that tries to live by the Golden Rule.”
“Letting two people who love each
other and want to get married strengthens and promotes families,”
he added.
Five
Republican New York senators have said they remain on the fence.
Mehlman, who served as chairman during
the President George W. Bush era, came out gay last August. He said
in numerous interviews that he wanted to come out to support marriage
equality, in particular the group challenging California's gay
marriage ban, Proposition 8. He raised more than 1.2 million for the
cause at an event held in New York last fall.
With less than 2 weeks to go before
the end of the legislative session, prospects of getting a bill
approved in the Senate – where it has yet to be formally introduced
– are dimming.