47 Republicans Who Voted to Legalize Gay Marriage

Forty-seven House RepublicansTuesday’s vote in support of a Democrat supported bill to codify same sex marriage into federal law was a vote of confidence.

The bill, also known as the Respect for Marriage Act, passed the House of Representatives 267 – 157. All 220 Democrats voted yes. Seven Republicans abstained.

The 1996 amendments would be repealed by the Respect for Marriage Act. Defense of Marriage Act, which recognized marriage as “only a legal union between one man and one woman as husband and wife.” The 1996 law was effectively invalidated by the Supreme Court’s 2015 ruling in Obergefell v. Hodges, which legalized same-sex marriage nationwide, but it has remained on the books.

Tuesday’s House floor debate saw Jerrold N.Y., Chairman of Judiciary Committee, speak. stated the bill would “reaffirm that marriage equality is and must remain the law of the land.”

Democrats, who control the House, pushed the bill in response to the Supreme Court’s June 24 decision overturning Roe v. Wade, which returned the right to abortion back to the states to decide. They claimed it was necessary for the possibility that the high court might also consider Obergefell or Loving, the 1967 decision banning interstate marriage.  

Rep. Chip Roy, R.Texas, is ahead of the vote tweeted: “Tonight, a large number (a majority?) of the @HouseGOP is poised to vote FOR formal, legislative recognition of gay marriage while hiding behind interstate recognition of interracial marriage (a solution in search of a problem), allowing Dems to deflect from their failures.”

Rep. Jody Hiice, R.-Ga. tweeted: “Today I voted NO on H.R. 8404, the “Respect for Marriage Act.” It’s a slap in the face of our federalist system that is just the latest effort to impose their leftist agenda on the entire country.”

Although the bill was defeated by more than 75%, some House Republicans expressed support.

Rep. Nancy Mace (R-S.C. wroteIn a tweet

“We just passed the Respect for Marriage Act out of the House. I’m a big fan of marriage, having done it a few times. Gay couples can be as happy or as unhappy married as straight couples. That’s great! Trust me on this.”

Two other prominent figures were Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-N.Y.), the Republican Conference chairwoman, and third-ranking GOP member in the House. Rep. Tom Emmer (R-Minn.), chairman of the National Republican Congressional Committee, was also high-profile examples.

The bill’s prospects are questionable in the Senate, where it faces the likelihood of a filibuster.  

The following are the 47 RepublicansWho voted in support of the bill

Reps. Kelly Armstrong (N.D.) 

Don Bacon (Neb.)

Cliff Bentz (Ore.)

 Ken Calvert (Calif.)

 Kat Cammack (Fla.) 

Mike Carey (Ohio)

Liz Cheney (Wyo.)

John Curtis (Utah)

Rodney Davis (Ill.)

Mario Diaz-Balart (Fla.)

Tom Emmer (Minn.

Brian Fitzpatrick (Pa.)

Andrew Garbarino (N.Y.)

Mike Garcia (Calif.)

Carlos Gimenez (Fla.)

Tony Gonzales (Texas)

Anthony Gonzalez (Ohio)

Ashley Hinson (Iowa).

Darrell Issa (Calif.)

Chris Jacobs (N.Y.).

David Joyce (Ohio)

John Katko (N.Y.).

Adam Kinzinger (Ill.)

Nancy Mace (S.C.

Nicole Malliotakis (N.Y.)

Brian Mast (Fla.

Peter Meijer (Mich.)

Dan Meuser (Pa.

Mariannette Miller-Meeks (Iowa)

Blake Moore (Utah).

Dan Newhouse (Wash.

Jay Obernolte (Calif.)

Burgess Owens, Utah

Scott Perry (Pa.

Tom Rice (S.C.

Maria Elvira Salazar (Fla.)

Mike Simpson (Idaho).

Elise Stefanik (N.Y.)

Bryan Steil (Wis.)

Chris Stewart (Utah).

Mike Turner (Ohio).

Fred Upton (Mich.

David Valadao (Calif.)

Jefferson Van Drew (N.J.

Ann Wagner (Mo.)

Michael Waltz (Fla.)

Lee Zeldin (N.Y.