California Republican Supports Marriage Equality

Gary DeLong, a Republican running for Congress in a new California district, has joined the ranks of those willing to go against the party platform on LGBT rights, ThinkProgress reports.
At a recent League of Women Voters forum, DeLong said, “There’s a number of things I disagree with the Republican Party on. I’m pro-choice. They’re pro-life. I support gay marriage. They don’t.”
DeLong and Democrat Alan Lowenthal, also a marriage equality supporter, are vying to represent the 47th congressional district, created by remapping due to population shifts. It encompasses parts of Los Angeles County, including a portion of traditionally liberal, LGBT-friendly Long Beach, and Orange County, which is historically conservative but has been becoming more diverse and liberal in recent years. It is considered a swing district, ThinkProgress notes.

Which Jersey Shore Cast Member Opposes Marriage Equality?

Thursday's vice presidential debates were not the only contest of wills this week. Jersey Shore’s Angelina Pivarnick had an internet face-off with openly gay entertainer Adam Barta on a hot-button political issue: should same-sex marriage be legalized?
“I love gay people,” the reality star prefaced on deeyon.com, a forum for digital debates. “I have a lot of friends that are gay. If you want to date each other, fine. We’ll see how it works. But in the end, they should really go and marry the other type.”
“I pay my taxes, and I’m a citizen,” countered Barta, whose single "Standing in the Rain" was named a favorite Jersey Shore "fist-pumping beat" by Z100. “Why wouldn’t I have that right?”
Angelina Pivarnick was a founding member of MTV’s hit reality show, Jersey Shore, in which she referred to herself as the “Kim Kardashian of Staten Island.” Her unvarnished opinions and confrontational demeanor were perennial sources of conflict with her cast mates, who shared close quarters in Seaside Heights, NJ. She was replaced by Deena Nicole Cortese in season 3.
Pivarnick, a practicing Catholic, added that “God did not intend people to be gay.” She also admitted that she has “kissed girls before…in clubs,” but has no intention of carrying these relationships any further.

Another Big Name Company Supports Marriage Equality in Washington

The latest big company to support marriage equality in Washington is Nordstrom, the national high-end retailer.

The Washington-based company's president, Blake Nordstrom, sent a memo today to employees along with Pete Nordstrom, the president of merchandising, and Erik Nordstrom, president of Stores.
"It is our belief that our gay and lesbian employees are entitled to the same rights and protections marriage provides under the law as our other employees," the Nordstroms wrote. "We also believe supporting freedom to marry will help us create a more attractive and inclusive workplace for our current and prospective employees."

They conceded there are "differing opinions" on the issue, as Washington voters head to the polls in November to decide whether to uphold a marriage equality law signed earlier this year.

It is one of many Washington companies to join in supporting the bill, including Microsoft, Starbucks and Nike. Some have faced pushback from the religious right with threatened boycotts as a result.