The Republican candidate for U.S. Senator now says he would support a federal law for same sex marriage.
When State Senator Jim Oberweis (R-Sugar Grove) was asked about that possibility during the U.S. Senate debate broadcast by ABC Chicago, he gave a surprising answer. “I think that’s well established,” Oberweis said. “I think the court has said that that’s approved. I think there’s no arguing about it any longer, so at this point, I would say yes.”
Oberweis said he would prefer the decision to ban or allow same sex marriage be left up to individual states—including Illinois, which passed a same sex marriage law last year. Oberweis voted against it.
“I’m raised as a Catholic, I believe in traditional marriage, but I think we’re past that. I believe that’s the law. I support the law, I support our Constitution,” Oberweis said.
Oberweis insisted after the debate that this wasn’t a change in his position on the issue. Just last year, he seemed to be firmly opposed to same-sex marriage, even supposedly leading an effort to oust then-chairman of the Illinois Republican Party, Pat Brady, for his support of the same sex marriage bill then being considered by the General Assembly.
What hasn’t changed is Oberweis’ opinion that the state’s and the country’s economic issues are more pressing, as he said a federal same sex marriage law wouldn’t be among his top priorities.
U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin, who supports same sex marriage, seemed confused by his opponent’s new position, saying after the debate “I don’t know where he was coming from on that.”