Illinois' junior U.S. Senator, Republican Mark Kirk, says he supports same-sex marriage. Kirk's stance on marriage equality was announced in a blog post Tuesday.
Kirk, who is Illinois' ranking Republican lawmaker, becomes the second Republican member of the U.S. Senate to publicly endorse same-sex marriage. Ohio's Rob Portman is the other.
Here is Kirk's statement from his blog:
When I climbed the Capitol steps in January, I promised myself that I would return to the Senate with an open mind and greater respect for others. Same-sex couples should have the right to civil marriage. Our time on this Earth is limited, I know that better than most. Life comes down to who you love and who loves you back-- government has no place in the middle.