As a Republican, Kenneth Mehlman has always pushed for strong family values. It was perhaps the tipping factor that put Bush ahead of Kerry in the 2004 election race. These days, he may be less involved in the political sphere, but he’s certainly still pushing for social causes he believes in, like same-sex marriage.
Ken Mehlman most recently spoke at a public event for the Iowa Republicans for Freedom (IRFF) at the Davis Brown Law Firm in Des Moines, urging Conservative Republicans to share his views on marriage equality. In his speech, he marks several philosophical and practical reasons to support same-sex marriage: increased family values, stronger societies, more stable homes, less taxation for same-sex families, honoring the “Golden Rule,” and promoting individual freedoms over government control.
“I’m a conservative because I believe in more freedom and I believe in less government,” Mehlman said, citing two key values for the Republican Party. “I think that we are endowed by our Creator, not by politicians, not by government, not by bureaucrats, with inalienable rights, including the pursuit of happiness. If you believe that, what could be more central to the pursuit of happiness that choosing the person that you love, that you have the right to marry?”
Calling out examples of other influential Conservatives who support same-sex marriage, Ken Mehlman included in his 11-minute speech references to Dick Cheney, Clint Eastwood, John Bolton, and Ted Olson. Hitting on the effect same-sex marriage has on society, Mehlman said, “It makes a society stronger… It creates stability in the lives of children across this country [with loving same-sex parents].”
David Kochel, who led the 2012 Iowa campaign for Mitt Romney, also joined Mehlman at the event. Kochel, who claims to have been a supporter of same-sex marriage for over a decade, said, “the Republican Party needs… to be a more modern party, we need to be a more inclusive party.”
Together, Ken Mehlman and David Kochel are a formidable force for anti-gay initiatives. The two have also spent time in the past few days meeting with Republicans in Iowa who are opposed to same-sex marriage, encouraging them to move forward progressively and embrace same-sex equality alongside the public.