Rep. David Jolly (R-Fla.) on Monday became the latest Republican to offer his support for gay marriage.
{mosads}He said he supports a recent decision by a Florida judge that struck down the state’s gay marriage ban in one county, according to The Washington Post.
“I believe in traditional marriage” as a Christian, he added.
“But as a matter of Constitutional principle I believe in a form of limited government that protects personal liberty,” he told the newspaper.
“To me, that means that the sanctity of one’s marriage should be defined by their faith and by their church, not by their state. Accordingly, I believe it is fully appropriate for a state to recognize both traditional marriage as well as same-sex marriage, and therefore I support the recent decision by a Monroe County Circuit Judge.”
A Florida circuit court judge last week overruled the state’s ban on gay marriage, allowing same-sex couples to obtain marriage licenses in Monroe County, which includes the Florida Keys.
Jolly narrowly won a special election in Florida in March to succeed the late Rep. Bill Young (R-Fla.).
He becomes the latest Republican since Sen. Susan Collins (D-Maine.) to come out in support of gay marriage. Four senators and three other House Republicans publicly support gay marriage.