A group of Indiana Republicans drafted a censure letter and sent it to Sen. Todd Young (R-IN) after he voted in favor of passing a bill that would codify same-sex marriage into federal law.
The Cass County Republican Party censured the Indiana senator in a letter that was sent on Thursday, expressing disappointment in Young’s support for the legislation and citing a “sense of betrayal.” Although a censure does not remove a senator from office, the letter acts as a statement of disapproval and can affect one’s standing or reputation.
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“It does not bring pleasure nor eagerness to write to you this evening,” Cass County Republican Chairman David Richey wrote in an email. “Cass County Republicans felt that waiting until the next election cycle to share how upset they were would not accomplish anything and therefore chose to write this letter of Censure to Sen. Young.”
The Respect for Marriage Act recognizes marriage between two people regardless of their “sex, race, ethnicity or national origin” while also including a religious freedom amendment that would protect institutions from losing their tax-exempt status if they refuse to recognize same-sex marriages.
Young was one of 12 Senate Republicans to approve the legislation, joining Sens. Roy Blunt (R-MO), Richard Burr (R-NC), Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV), Susan Collins (R-ME), Joni Ernst (R-IA), Cynthia Lummis (R-WY), Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), Rob Portman (R-OH), Mitt Romney (R-UT), Dan Sullivan (R-AK), and Thom Tillis (R-NC).
Young has long expressed support for the bill, publishing a piece in the Indianapolis Star last month calling on his colleagues to join him in approving the legislation. That prompted backlash from Republicans in his state, who accused the senator of betraying the party’s values.
“Your decision elicited feelings of anger, disbelief and even a sense of betrayal,” the Cass County Republican Party wrote in its censure letter. “We are not just fiscal conservatives, but social conservatives as well. Your opinion piece in the Indianapolis Star on November 30 only confirmed our concerns that you have departed from the deeply held views of the vast majority of your fellow Hoosiers.”
The letter of censure from the Cass County GOP was circulated to the rest of the state’s county Republican parties, encouraging them to censure Young for his vote.
“The Republican party of Indiana endorsed your running as a Republican Senator from our great state with the belief that we could entrust you with representing our values,” they wrote. “On this matter (regarding same-sex marriage), you had previously stated that you felt matters like this were best handled by the States, not in the Federal venue. Now we find — right after we endorsed and voted for you in November — that you’ve changed your mind.”
In his November op-ed, Young acknowledged that his decision might disappoint members of his party but maintained it was crucial to ensure equal protections. He also pointed to the religious liberty amendment that protects religious institutions to defend his decision.
“Dignity and respect are not a zero-sum proposition. We can and should strive to ensure all citizens enjoy them in equal measure,” Young wrote. “The Respect for Marriage Act moves us closer to that ideal.”
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The letter comes more than a week after the Senate passed the landmark legislation, which provides federal protection for same-sex and interracial marriages. The Senate passed the bill with a 61-36 vote, with 12 Republicans joining Democrats to push the legislation through the upper chamber.
The House passed the Senate version of the bill during a vote on Thursday, sending the legislation to President Joe Biden’s desk for his signature. Biden is expected to sign the bill.
