New Jersey Governor Chris Christie is still staunchly opposed to legalizing gay marriage, as he states in an interview with Piers Morgan that will air on CNN Tuesday night.
CNN released portions of the interview with Mr. Christie prior to it airing Tuesday night, and the New Jersey governor is sticking to his decision when it comes to gay marriage in his state.
The New Jersey Republican vetoed a gay marriage bill after it was passed by both chambers of the New Jersey state legislature last week, keeping his promise to provide “swift” action on the bill.
Mr. Christie favors placing the issue of legalizing gay marriage as a referendum on the upcoming general election ballot in the fall.
“I would not compromise my principles for politics. You’re saying, will it become politically unpopular to have the position I’m having? If it does, so be it. I don’t compromise my principles for politics,” said Mr. Christie in the CNN interview.
Gay marriage has become a highly discussed issue in both the Democratic and Republican parties recently. All of the remaining Republican presidential candidates have stated that they are opposed to legalizing gay marriage.
In contrast, President Barack Obama has stated recently that while he is still opposed to gay marriage, his position on the issue is “evolving.” The majority of liberal Democrats are in favor of legalizing gay marriage.
House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, a California Democrat, recently stated that she supports gay marriage.
Washington recently became the seventh state in the nation along with the District of Columbia, to legalize gay marriage.
Additionally, the Maryland state legislature is currently considering a bill legalizing gay marriage in their state. Maryland’s Democratic Governor Martin O’Malley has said that he is in favor of passing the bill once it reaches his desk too.
The issue of legalizing gay marriage in New Jersey became highly publicized recently after several state elected officials went public with their views urging Mr. Christie not to veto their bill. Washington Governor Chris Gregoire wrote a letter to Mr. Christie offering to discuss gay marriage with him too.
However, the New Jersey governor is in favor of allowing residents of New Jersey to vote on the matter in the fall.
“I know that this is a very emotional issue and a divisive issue in my state. And so what I’ve suggested to the legislature is, in a way, the only way we have to amend our constitution in New Jersey – which is by referendum – let’s put it on the ballot, let’s let people decide,” said Mr. Christie.
Mr. Christie endorsed Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney back in the fall, after announcing that he himself would not be running for the Republican nomination in 2012. Some critics believe his opposition to passing the bill is related to his relationship with Mr. Romney, who might look bad in the eyes of conservative voters if one of his top surrogates legalizes gay marriage.
The New Jersey governor maintains his position that the decision is based on his principles and not any negative views that he harbors towards the gay community. In January, Mr. Christie nominated an openly gay man, Bruce Harris, to the New Jersey Supreme Court. However, along with announcing that nomination, he made it clear that the decision was not any indication of him changing his views on gay marriage.
During the Piers Morgan interview, he reiterated his position.
“It’s my belief, it’s my core belief,” said Mr. Christie. “And I tell people that. And my friends, whether they be homosexual or not, they know me and they know I’m not bigoted.
Now that Mr. Christie has vetoed the gay marriage bill, the New Jersey state legislature would need a two thirds majority vote in both chambers to override his veto.
