Gov. Bobby Jindal, R-La., on Tuesday said that he agrees with potential 2016 presidential rival Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, on the issue of gay marriage, which is back in the news because of the Supreme Court’s decision on Monday to reject requests from five states aimed at keeping bans on same-sex marriage in place.
“I certainly agree with the senator,” Jindal said during a Tuesday conference call, in response to a question from the Washington Examiner. “I think he has proposed, he is already proposing some legislation on this, I certainly agree with the senator. I do believe marriage is between a man and a woman.”
The Louisiana governor was careful to note that the Pelican State was not affected by the Court’s decision.
“I know there are folks that are changing their position on this,” Jindal said. “I know former Secretary [of State Hillary] Clinton, President Obama, have changed their positions on this. I know you can certainly see where opinion polls it appears a lot of folks have changed their positions on this. I’m not a weather vane on this issue and I’m not going to change my position. I continue to believe that marriage is between a man and a woman.”
Following the Supreme Court’s decision to reject the requests from Oklahoma, Utah, Virginia, Wisconsin and Indiana, the response from Republican lawmakers was generally muted. Sens. Mike Lee, R-Utah, and Cruz, however, were among the few who made public statements criticizing the court’s decision. And Cruz was the most aggressively critical.
“This is judicial activism at its worst,” he said in a statement. “The Constitution entrusts state legislatures, elected by the people, to define marriage consistent with the values and mores of their citizens. The Supreme Court’s decision to let rulings by lower court judges stand that redefine marriage is both tragic and indefensible.”
“It is for the elected representatives of the people to make the laws of marriage, acting on the basis of their own constitutional authority, and protecting it, if necessary, from usurpation by the courts,” he added. “Marriage is a question for the states. Traditional marriage is an institution whose integrity and vitality are critical to the health of any society. We should remain faithful to our moral heritage and never hesitate to defend it.”
Cruz also promised to introduce legislation to defend the authority of state legislatures to define marriage. He noted that along with his “State Marriage Defense Act of 2014,” he will introduce a constitutional amendment aimed at preventing the federal government and courts from overruling or striking down state marriage laws.
And this appears to be something that the Louisiana’s Republican governor is willing to back.
“[T]o answer your question,” Jindal told the Examiner, “certainly I support what the senator is doing.”
