Former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee, who ran for president in 2008, said Tuesday that he will leave the Republican Party if gay marriage and abortion issues aren't properly addressed.
"If the Republicans want to lose guys like me and a whole bunch of still God-fearing, Bible-believing people, go ahead and just abdicate on this issue and while you're at it, go ahead and say abortion doesn't matter either," he said during the American Family Association's Tuesday morning radio show, reported Bloomberg. "At that point, you lose me. I'm gone. I'll become an independent. I'll start finding people that have guts to stand. I'm tired of this."
While Sen. Ted Cruz promised to introduce a constitutional amendment to prevent federal courts or government from voiding state marriage laws, Huckabee took it a leap further in a statement written on his website suggesting that states could ignore the Supreme Court.
"It is shocking that many elected officials, attorneys, and judges think that a court ruling is the 'final word.' It most certainly is not," Huckabee wrote. "It remains the court's opinion. It is NOT the 'law of the land' as is often heralded. The courts can't make law. They can interpret it and even rule that a law is unconstitutional, but they have no power to create it or enforce it."
Last week the Supreme Court decided to let a lower court ruling stand which said banning gay marriages violated the constitution. Several states are expected to soon start issuing same-sex marriage licenses.
"I am utterly exasperated with Republicans and the so-called leadership of the Republicans who have abdicated on this issue when, if they continue this direction they guarantee they're gonna lose every election in the future," Huckabee said. "Guarantee it."
While Huckabee is generally a well liked man in Republican circles, Republicans may be hesitant to get involved because they believe it will jeopardize future election outcomes. It seems that attitudes on gay marriage are starting to shift in the party, especially among younger Republicans.
A March Pew Research study showed that 61 percent of Republicans between 18 and 29 years old support gay marriage, compared to just 39 precent of Republicans overall.
