Burke Backs Marriage Equality; Walker Says Voters Decide State’s Stance

Democratic gubernatorial candidate Mary Burke said she completely supports gay marriage while Gov. Scott Walker said he doesn’t think there’s significant movement to make it legal in Wisconsin.

Both Walker and Burke were asked about the issue after the American Civil Liberties Union of Wisconsin filed a lawsuit this week to overturn the state’s constitutional ban on same-sex marriage.

Burke’s response was concise.

“I completely support peoples’ freedom to choose who they would like to marry,” she said.

Burke said she supports the ACLU’s lawsuit if it helps move Wisconsin toward that.

Walker said he’d leave questions over the lawsuit to Wisconsin’s attorney general and that amending the state constitution would take a vote by the people.

“It’s one of those where I’ll have no bearing as the governor,” he said. “It’s something that the voters would ultimately have to change. I haven’t heard significant movement across the state to make an alteration on that one way or the other.”

Nearly 60 percent of Wisconsin voters supported the state’s gay marriage ban when it passed in 2006, but the latest Marquette University poll found 53 percent of voters favor gay marriage now.