If you want to see the generational divide among Republicans when it comes to gay rights, look no further than Wisconsin governor and 2016 GOP frontrunner Scott Walker’s sons.
When the Supreme Court ruled in favor of marriage equality this June, Walker slammed the decision as a “grave mistake.”
But in an interview with the Washington Post this Sunday, Walker’s wife Tonette revealed that the couple’s sons were “disappointed” in the ruling and likely disagreed with their father’s take on the news.
“That was a hard one,” Tonette said, pausing and choosing her words carefully. “Our sons were disappointed. . . . I was torn. I have children who are very passionate [in favor of same-sex marriage], and Scott was on his side very passionate.”
“It’s hard for me because I have a cousin who I love dearly — she is like a sister to me — who is married to a woman, her partner of 18 years,” she said.
She went on to mention that her son was the best man at her cousin’s wedding last year. Since then, the couple has vacationed and hosted parties with the Walkers.
The day after the Supreme Court ruling, Tonette flew with her husband to Colorado, where he addressed a group of 4,000 conservatives and met with donors. It was widely noted that, despite a perfectly receptive audience, Walker did not repeat his sharp criticism of the Supreme Court decision.
Instead, Walker spoke more vaguely and was quoted as saying, “We should respect the opinions of others in America. But that in return means that they not only respect our opinions, they respect what is written in the Constitution.”
When asked what effect his family’s disagreement has had on his position, Walker said, “It doesn’t mean I change my position,” but he added that it may lead to “finding a different way of explaining it, so they can appreciate where I am coming from.”
Featured image: John Klein/jsonline.com
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