Governor Chet Culver says he is “reluctant” to support an amendment to the state constitution which would ban gay marriage in Iowa.
Culver, who is a Democrat, issued a brief statement Friday shortly after the Iowa Supreme Court ruled same-sex marriage should be legal in the state. That statement, however, gave few clues as to how Culver would approach the issue. Because of the ruling, gay couples may begin marrying here on April 27. Opponents of gay marriage are clamoring for an amendment to the state’s constitution which would ban same-sex marriage here.
In the statement released this afternoon, Culver said he is “reluctant to support amending the Iowa Constitution to add a provision that the Iowa Supreme Court has said is unlawful and discriminatory.” In the statement, Culver said his personal belief is that marriage is between a man and a woman, but “as Governor, I must respect the authority of the Iowa Supreme Court.”
Culver urged both sides in the gay marriage debate to have a “rational discussion” about the topic and cut out the “name-calling or fear-mongering.” The governor said his energies will be focused elsewhere, on issues like the economy.
You can read Culver’s entire statement here .