So Senator Tom Carper (D. DE) finally came out for gay marriage today:
http://www.beaumontenterprise.com/...
Democratic Sen. Tom Carper of Delaware has announced his support for gay marriage.
Carper made the announcement Tuesday on his Facebook page, saying he came to his decision "after a great deal of soul searching."
Carper invoked the Golden Rule while explaining his conclusion that all Americans should be able to marry the person they love, regardless of sexual orientation. He says, "As our society has changed and evolved, so too has the public's opinion on gay marriage — and so has mine." - Beaumont Enterprise, 4/2/13
Also, another Republican Senator has come out for gay marriage:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/...
A second Republican senator has announced his support for gay marriage, with Sen. Mark Kirk (R-Ill.) joining Sen. Rob Portman (R-Ohio).
Kirk, who recently returned to the Senate after suffering a significant stroke, suggested in a statement that his near-death experience has changed his perspective.
“When I climbed the Capitol steps in January, I promised myself that I would return to the Senate with an open mind and greater respect for others,” he said. “Same-sex couples should have the right to civil marriage. Our time on this earth is limited, I know that better than most. Life comes down to who you love and who loves you back — government has no place in the middle.”
Kirk comes from a blue state and has carved out a moderate record, including recently supporting additional gun control measures.
Portman announced his support under similarly extraordinary circumstances — his son came out as gay in 2011. - Washington Post, 4/2/13
I applaud both of these Senators, especially Kirk, for coming out for marriage equality. While some red-state Democrats likes Senators Mark Pryor (D. AR), Mary Landrieu (D. LA), Joe Donnelly (D. IN), Heidi Heitkamp (D. ND), Joe Manchin (D. WV) and Tim Johnson (D. SD) have yet to show their support for gay marriage and for some reason, Senator Bill Nelson (D. FL) is with them. Blue state Republican Senators like Pat Toomey (R. PA) and Kelly Ayotte (R. NH) have refused to to endorse same sex marriage (Toomey's colleague, Senator Bob Casey (D. PA), came out for gay marriage yesterday) and could be punished for being on the wrong side of history come 2016. But where does "moderate" Republican Senator Susan Collins (R. ME) stand? Here's Collins' spokesman, Kevin Kelley's response to Buzz Feed's questions about where Collins' stands on DOMA and marriage equality:
http://www.buzzfeed.com/...
DOMA was signed into law by President Clinton in 1996, before Senator Collins was elected to Congress. Since that time, in 2004 and 2006, Senator Collins twice voted against amendments to the United States Constitution that would have banned same-sex marriages by pre-empting state laws. Senator Collins believes this matter is best left up to the states, which have traditionally handled family law, and increasingly, the voters of states are choosing to legalize same-sex marriages as Maine did last fall.
Recognizing that LGBT Americans should be protected from discrimination, Senator Collins has led efforts in Congress to extend federal benefits to gay men and women and their families. She has authored legislation that would extend benefits to the domestic partners of federal employees, bringing the employment practices of the federal government in line with those of most large employers. She has cosponsored legislation that would prohibit discrimination in the workplace based on sexual orientation and gender identity. Most recently, Senator Collins became the first Republican in the Senate to cosponsor legislation to update U.S. immigration law to permit American citizens to sponsor same-sex permanent partners applying for legal residency in the United States, and she joined Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) in introducing a bipartisan bill that would prevent discrimination against lesbian and gay citizens during the federal jury selection process. - Buzz Feed, 3/26/13
Ok, so that doesn't really answer the question on where she stands on DOMA and marriage equality. Her past support for gay rights should indicate that she would be a "Yes" vote in repealing DOMA and supporting marriage equality. She voted in favor of repealing DADT and she has supported comprehensive immigration reform that addresses same-sex marriage:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/...
Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine), the sole Republican co-sponsor of a bill to give binational same-sex couples equal rights to petition for immigrant visas, said Tuesday that she remains committed to getting the legislation passed, either on its own or as part of comprehensive immigration reform.
Collins told HuffPost that her first preference would be to move the bill, called the Uniting American Families Act, on its own. But if that can't happen, she said the measures should be included in a comprehensive immigration reform bill next year.
"Either way, I'd like to see it passed, whichever way is the easier route," she said. "I'm not sure which way is the easier route."
Whether same-sex binational couples would be included in immigration reform is a major issue for LGBT and immigrant rights groups, and was named in November as one of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus' principles for immigration reform.
Because of the Defense of Marriage Act, even legally-married same-sex couples are unable to petition for legal status for a foreign-born member. That can lead to partners being separated by deportation or inability to obtain visas, with couples at times living apart for long stretches or leaving the United States entirely. The Williams Institute at UCLA estimated in 2011 that there were about 40,000 couples who were ineligible to receive the same treatment on immigration as heterosexual couples. Nearly 25,000 children had parents who fit into that category, according to the institute. - Huffington Post, 12/11/12
Collins is still a supporter of the Uniting American Families Act:
http://www.montereyherald.com/...
“Whether you’re talking about bi-national same-sex couples and immigration reform or you’re talking about same-sex couples and the issue of civil partnerships, you’re looking at central issues of inequality that pertain to both,” said Gregory Angelo, executive director of the Log Cabin Republicans, a GOP gay rights advocacy group.
Angelo also points out that some Republicans opt to support legislation related to social justice issues when there’s a clear economic benefit for their constituents.
The Uniting American Families Act, for example, would allow Americans to sponsor their same-sex permanent partners for residency. Some Republicans support the bill, Angelo says, because they see an economic benefit in keeping skilled workers in the United States. Supporters include Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, and Reps. Richard Hanna, R-N.Y., and Charlie Dent, R-Pa. - Monterey Herald, 4/2/13
So why is she hesitant to come out for gay marriage? 53% of Maine voters voted to legalize same-sex marriage, so what's Collins' hold up? Is it still the possibility of a Tea Party challenger? If she doesn't come out for gay marriage, she might make herself look out of touch with her constituents and that could hurt her in 2014.