The Idaho Republican Party has issued a statement commending GOP Gov. Butch Otter and Attorney General Lawrence Wasden for continuing the state’s court fight against same-sex marriage. The party’s statement says its platform calls on Idaho officials to “use all means possible to prevent expansion of the definition of marriage beyond that of a bond between one man and one woman.” The statement says the party and its nominees “believe that the expressed will of Idaho voters in amending our Constitution must be respected,” referring to the 2006 vote that added the ban on same-sex marriage to the Idaho Constitution. Click below for the full statement. 

The Idaho GOP's statement:

"The Idaho Republican Party platform calls upon government officials and legislators to protect the traditional family and use all means possible to prevent expansion of the definition of marriage beyond that of a bond between one man and one woman.

 

The people of Idaho made clear as a state that traditional marriage is an Idaho value when they voted overwhelmingly to add the definition of marriage to the state constitution.

 

The Idaho Republican Party supports the rights of individuals and the freedom of religion as granted by the U.S. Constitution, and we reject persecution of any kind, regardless of background.

 

The Democratic Party and its nominees may be comfortable with an 'ends justifies the means' approach to social policy in Idaho. The Idaho Republican Party and its nominees believe that the expressed will of Idaho voters in amending our Constitution must be respected.

 

Furthermore, great care must be given to ensure that activism in the name of individual rights shall not infringe on the Freedom of Religion. Certainly there must be a better way to respect all Idahoans without trampling on the democratic process and the rights of our state under the federal Constitution.

 

We commend the Governor, Attorney General, and other state leaders for upholding their oaths of office to defend the state constitution. We question whether nominees of the Democratic Party are prepared to do the same."