UPDATE: R-71 came up at a candidates forum sponsored by the Federal Way Camber of Commerce in late July, and Susan Hutchison was murkier about her position on domestic partners than she was with me today. The PI.com’s Joel Connelly reported at the time:
An unexpected issue came up – Referendum 71. A cause of the Christian right, R-71 would roll back "everything but marriage" rights for same-sex couples approved by the Legislature earlier this year. Hutchison gave a … nuanced answer on R-71. She said there are "some exaggerations in it," gave generalized praise to the cause of equality, but pointedly stopped short of the altar. The state should "stay away from the very contentious issue of gay marriage that has permeated the country," Hutchison argued.
In addition to telling PubliCola today that Hutchison supports the domestic partners legislation that was passed in Olympia this year (the legislation puts domestic partners on an equal legal footing with married couples), Hutchison’s spokesperson Jordan McCarran says Hutchison supports King County’s domestic partners’ benefits.
ORIGINAL POST: Our roundup of where the candidates for King County Executive and Seattle mayor stand on R-71 is now complete. Susan Hutchison’s campaign spokesman Jordan McCarren got back to us today, saying, "Susan supports the legislation enacted in Olympia and does not wish to overturn the law." The "everything but marriage" legislation that passed in Olympia this year put domestic partners on an even legal playing field with married couples. Supporting R-71 means you support the law.
Her opponent in the King County Executive’s race, Democratic King County Council Member Dow Constantine, wants to uphold the domestic partners legislation as well, and adds that he supports full marriage equality. (We’ve asked Hutchison’s campaign if she supports gay marriage as well. They have not responded.)
Both mayoral candidates—attorney and environmental neighborhood activist Mike McGinn and T-Mobile executive Joe Mallahan—say they support domestic partner rights and R-71. (Again: Supporting R-71 means you support the domestic partners legislation.) McGinn told us he also supports gay marriage. We’re still waiting to hear Mallahan’s position on gay marriage.
UPDATE: Mallahan says he "absolutely supports marriage equality."
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Why does it take so freakin’ long for these people to get back to you? Isn’t it, like, their JOB to respond to the press in a timely manner? I mean, how hard can it be to answer the phone?
The press?
Here’s what Susan had to say back in july
http://slog.thestranger.com/slog/archives/2009/07/28/susan-hutchison-on-gay-marriage
Just in case anyone missed it, her answer wasn’t a YES or a NO.
she would never lie about anyting like that. I totally trust her.
Last week I met with Susan Hutchison on a seperate topic and she mentioned her support for Domestic Partnerships and that she was deliberately trying to keep her campaign for county office focused on issue relevant to county government — hence the “nuanced” answer previously on Ref 71.
She is sincere in her support of Domestic Partnerships, but didn’t think campaigning on the issue was relevant to the office of County Exectuive.
Wonder what the Discovery Institute’s take on her moral relativism might be?
Any idea what she meant by “exaggerated?”
Does Mallahan support gay marriage, or he parsing words?
Interesting about Hutchison. Pretty clear that she doesn’t support gay marriage and probably wouldn’t support R-71 if she wasn’t running for office.
Josh, could you fill us in on Mallahan? I’m genuinely curious — is marriage equality the same thing as gay marriage?
I would love to hear Mallahan’s response to this exact question: Do you support gay marriage? Yes or No.
The press?