GOP leaders may be handing in the towel in the fight against same-sex marriage, according to an article on Time Magazine's website. The latest Supreme Court decision on the unconstitutionality of same-sex marriage bans may have lightened the campaign trail burden for 2016 Republican candidates.
"Advisors to multiple likely 2016 candidates told TIME after the news broke that they are hopeful that swift action by the Supreme Court will provide them cover," the magazine reported. "'We don't have to agree with the decision, but as long as we're not against it we should be okay,' said one aide to a 2016 contender who declined to be named to speak candidly on the sensitive topic. 'The base, meanwhile, will focus its anger on the Court, and not on us.'"
The Republican Party tends to be more conservative on social issues, but younger Republicans have leaned more liberal in cultural topics than their predecessors, according to the article.
TIME reported that a Gallup poll cited that 55 percent of Americans believe that same-sex marriage should be legal, with 78 percent of younger voters supporting same-sex marriage.
Some GOP members have vowed not to give up the fight - Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum and Texas Senator Ted Cruz among them. TIME quoted Cruz as saying, "The Supreme Court's decision to let rulings by lower court judges stand that redefine marriage is both tragic and indefensible."
Cruz is quoted in a second article by TIME, "By refusing to rule if the States can define marriage, the Supreme Court is abdicating its duty to uphold the Constitution. The fact that the Supreme Court Justices, without providing any explanation whatsoever, have permitted lower courts to strike down so many state marriage laws is astonishing."
Cruz announced that he has plans to introduce a constitutional amendment prohibiting the federal governement from overturning state laws on same-sex marriage.
Time also reported that political consultant Keith Appell thinks that the GOP will focus their opposition when Supreme Court appointments open up. Appell is quoted by TIME as saying, "Filling those vacancies will shape the court for the next generation and it'll be a huge issue in both the primaries and the general election."
