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Oberweis Would Back Federal Same Sex Marriage Law

NPR Illinois | 91.9 UIS | By Amanda Vinicky,

Amanda Vinicky

Published October 23, 2014 at 11:50 AM CDT

Republican candidate for U.S. Senate, State Sen. Jim Oberweis of Sugar Grove

The Republican nominee for U.S. Senate has switched his stance on same-sex marriage.

Only a few Republican members of the General Assembly voted for Illinois' law that has, since June, allowed two men or two women to marry one another.

State Sen. Jim Oberweis wasn't one of them. He voted no.

But the Sugar Grove Republican, now a candidate for the U.S. Senate, says he would go along with a federal law permitting same sex marriage.

Here's how he answered a question about it Wednesday's debate.

"I think that's well established. I think the court has said that's approved. I think that there's no arguing about it any longer. So at this point I would say yes," he said. "I would prefer to see it determined by the states, but again, I think we're past that stage."

Oberweis is running against U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin, who has held the seat since 1996. Durbin says he has long supported marriage equality.