Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., a potential 2016 presidential candidate, said Wednesday there is a growing intolerance for supporters of traditional marriage and defended states' rights to define marriage between one man and one woman.
“Today there is a growing intolerance on this issue, intolerance for those who continue to support traditional marriage,” Rubio said in a speech at Catholic University in Washington, D.C.
The Florida Republican did acknowledge Americas “marred” history of discrimination against gays and lesbians, but added tolerance needs to be “a two-way street.”
“If support for traditional marriage is bigotry, then Barack Obama was a bigot until just before the 2012 election,” he added, referencing the president’s May 2012 announcement in support of same-sex marriage.
Rubio said states should have the right to restrict marriage to heterosexual couples, and denounced judges who have ruled against state laws defining marriage.
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-- Andrew Rafferty