US: Maine Republicans reaffirm opposition to same-sex marriage, despite it already being legal
Maine’s Republican party has reaffirmed its opposition to same-sex marriage, despite voters opting to legalise it in the state almost two years ago.
According to Associated Press, the Maine GOP voted on Friday for a state platform which continues to oppose same-sex marriage.
Same-sex marriages have been legal in Maine since December 2012.
Maine became the first state to legalise same-sex marrige by popular vote in November 2012, when the public voted in favour of the measure, with 53% in favour and 47% against.
The platform passed at the Maine GOP Convention yesterday, states: “Marriage is defined as the union of one man and one woman.”
Despite neglecting to remove the provision, the party scaled back other elements included in platforms from previous years, no longer calling for the Department for Education to be abolished, or labelling global warming a “myth”.
A statement from Ben Grant, the chairman of the Maine Democrats, said in a statement: “I couldn’t be more enthusiastic about the Maine GOP’s theme of ‘unity’ this year.
“The GOP is proving to everyone in Maine that they are unified behind catastrophic policies that harm the middle class and damage our economy.”
Nevada state party Chairman Michael McDonald said at the time: “I think it was about inclusion, not exclusion. This is where the party is going.”
