Las Vegas Sun

March 28, 2024

Where candidates in major Nevada races stand on gay marriage ruling

The Center2

Steve Marcus

Jon Sparer, left and Raymond Wilmer embrace at The Gay and Lesbian Community Center of Southern Nevada (The Center) Tuesday, Oct. 7, 2014. People gathered at The Center to celebrate a ruling by the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals that overturned Nevada’s prohibition on gay marriage.

Updated Thursday, Oct. 9, 2014 | 1:22 p.m.

Same-sex marriage in Nevada was on, then off, then on hold — all on Wednesday.

While the decision bounces around federal courtrooms, the politics and policy behind same-sex marriage remain an issue on the Nevada campaign trail in the Nov. 4 election.

Here's a look at where candidates running for major offices stand.

Attorney General

Adam Laxalt: The Republican believes marriage is between a man and woman. He said he is reviewing the 9th Circuit’s decision and vowed to protect the rights of Nevadans if elected to office, according to the Reno Gazette-Journal.

Ross Miller: The current Democratic secretary of state told the Sun in June that the state’s ban on same-sex marriage is unconstitutional. He supported the Sandoval-Masto decision and said he would vote to legalize same-sex marriage.

Lieutenant Governor

Lucy Flores: As an assemblywoman, the Democrat voted in favor of the resolution that would ask voters to recognize all marriages. “Allowing people to marry who they love is the right thing to do,” she said in a statement. Flores celebrated the decision on Wednesday with her friend and fellow lawmaker, Sen. Kelvin Atkinson. Atkinson, a co-sponsor of last year’s resolution, applied for a marriage license for himself and his partner at the Clark County Marriage Bureau.

Mark Hutchison: While serving in the Senate, the Republican voted against the resolution. His campaign did not respond to emails and phone calls on Wednesday seeking a comment.

Senate District 8

Marilyn Dondero Loop: The assemblywoman and Democratic challenger said she voted in favor of the joint resolution and supported the Sandoval-Masto decision. "I am grateful that the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals ruled in favor of marriage equality in Nevada,” she said in a statement.

Patricia Farley: The Republican candidate supported the Sandoval-Masto decision and the 9th Circuit’s ruling in Nevada. “As the former president of [Aid for Aids of Nevada], Nevada’s largest AIDS charity, I have always supported marriage equality,” she said in a statement.

Senate District 9

Justin Jones: The incumbent Democrat championed the decision. His brother-in-law is gay and soon will have the freedom to marry. In the 2013 legislative session, Jones supported Senate Joint Resolution 13, a measure proposing to repeal the same-sex marriage ban in Nevada’s constitution. “This decision wasn’t about being a Democrat or a Republican, but about giving those who love one another, regardless of gender, the rights we all deserve,” Jones said in a statement.

Becky Harris: The Republican challenger in the race sent a statement but did not respond to specific questions. “The 9th Circuit Court of Appeals has ruled. I respect its decision,” she said. She told the Las Vegas Review-Journal: “From a position of my religion, I believe in traditional marriage. I believe that marriage is between a man and a woman.”

Senate District 20

Michael Roberson: He voted against Senate Joint Resolution 13 in the last session. But he agreed with the decision by Sandoval and Masto and says Nevada should uphold the 9th Circuit’s decision. “The state of Nevada should not discriminate against anyone,” he said in a statement.

Teresa Lowry: The Democratic challenger said her best friend will now be able to marry in Nevada. She supported the Sandoval-Masto decision and criticized Roberson for voting against the resolution. “LGBT rights are human rights,” she said in a statement.

3rd Congressional District

Erin Bilbray: Supporting marriage equality has been a big part of her campaign. She hosted a party for LGBTQ candidates last month and says that she’s been an advocate for same-sex marriage "for decades." She’s been endorsed by the Human Rights Campaign, a LGBTQ advocacy non-profit, and other pro-gay groups in Southern Nevada. If elected, she said she wants to see programs to help homeless LGBTQ youth.

Joe Heck: He believes marriage is between a man and a woman. During a recent interview on KNPR, he said marriage equality is a state issue for the courts to decide.

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