Scott Walker: Gay Marriage Accepted by Young Conservatives

Same-sex marriage is accepted by younger conservatives and won’t likely be an issue in upcoming political races, Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker said.

Appearing Sunday on NBC's "Meet the Press," Walker was asked whether younger conservatives are “more apt to see marriage equality as something that is … what they believe, that is basic rather than as a disqualifying issue?”

“I think there’s no doubt about that,” Walker said. “But I think that’s all the more reason, when I talk about things, I talk about the economic and fiscal crises in our state and in our country, that’s what people want to resonate about. They don’t want to get focused on those issues.”

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The discussion stemmed from Republican Sen. Rob Portman’s announcement last week that he has changed his position on same-sex marriage because he wants his son, who is gay, to have the same “joy and stability of marriage” that he has had and that he wishes for his other two children.

Noted Walker: “I’ve had young people ask me …why the government is sanctioning it in the first place?” He suggested it be left up to “the churches and the synagouges and others to define that.”

Republican Ana Navarro noted that “as the youngest person on this panel, I think it’s generational.” It is an issue of tolerance, she said. “I want people who are pro-traditional marriage to tolerate my views and don’t think that makes me less moral or less of a Republican. And I need to tolerate the views of those who think marriage is just a man and a woman and know that that does not make them a bigot.”