Sen. Mark Begich (D-AK) announced his support for marriage equality late Monday, following a number of his Democratic Senate colleagues who have endorsed gay marriage in the days leading up to Supreme Court hearings on two gay marriage cases.
“Gay and lesbian couples should not be denied the ability to pledge their love and commitment through the civil institution of marriage,” Begich said in a statement obtained by BuzzFeed. “I believe that two committed adults of the same sex should be able to receive a government-issued marriage license, while religious institutions retain their right to determine which marriages they will perform.”
Democratic Sens. Claire McCaskill (MO), Mark Warner (VA) and Jay Rockefeller (WV) also backed gay marriage this week. Begich faces re-election next year in Republican-leaning Alaska.
