August 7, 2022
'I Gonna Say No.' Sen. Lindsey Graham Doubles Down Against Federalizing Same-Sex Marriage
READ TIME: 2 MIN.
Despite rumors that led to the meme #LadyGraham, GOP senator Lindsey Graham may not need the option of access to a same-sex wedding. Still, he kept the option open when asked about the issue on CNN on Sunday, August 7. "Republican Senator Lindsey Graham fed the fears of Democrats and the left in general on Sunday during an interview on CNN in which he argued for the end of federal protections for gay marriage rights," reports The Independent.
Graham appeared on CNN's "State of Union" along with Democratic senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT). Host Dana Bash turned the subject to GOP Senator Ron Portman's move to codify same sex marriage on the federal level, which Graham opposes.
"(Portman's) trying to get enough votes to codify same-sex marriage because Justice Clarence Thomas suggested that it might be in jeopardy," Bash asked. "You said two weeks ago that the state-by-state approach is the best way to go. So, I just want to be clear about your position. Are you saying that the 2015 Supreme Court decision that made same-sex marriage the law of the land nationally should be overturned?
"No, I am saying that I don't think it is going to be overturned."
Pressed as to whether it should be, Graham responded: "Well, you know, that'd be up the court. The reasoning, I think, could be attacked. But the point I'm trying to make is I've been consistent. I think states should decide this issue of marriage, and states should decide the issue of abortion. I have respect for South Carolina. South Carolina voters here on trust to define marriage and to deal with the issue of abortion. Not nine people on the court. That's my view."
Bash turned to other court cases that could be under fire, such as Loving v Virginia, which allowed interracial marriage.
"No," Graham responded, before quickly deflecting. "Here's the point. We're talking about things that are not happening because you don't want to talk about inflation. You don't want to talk about crime. This is all politics, my friends, instead of trying to solve problems... We're talking about constitutional decisions that are still in effect. But if you're going to ask me to have the federal government take over defining marriage, I'm going to say no. Okay."
In saying that "marriage equality should be recognized on a state-by-state basis," Graham was "de facto endorsing the overturning of the 2015 Obergefell v. Hodges decision by SCOTUS even though he claimed that he didn't think it would get overturned," reports the Daily Kos.
