8th Congressional GOP candidates differ on gay marriage
The six Republicans running for Congress in the 8th District generally adhere to the GOP playbook when it comes to gay marriage and oppose it, but their philosophies differ in the details.
Some support amending the U.S. Constitution to ban gay marriage, while others say it's a state issue. One says government shouldn't interfere in marriage at all.
The candidates spoke about this and other issues in a questionnaire for the Daily Herald and in follow-up interviews.
Seeking the GOP nomination on Feb. 2 are: Dirk Beveridge of Barrington; John Dawson of Barrington; Chris Geissler of Barrington; Greg Jacobs of Mundelein; Maria Rodriguez of Long Grove; and Joe Walsh of Winnetka.
Incumbent Democrat Melissa Bean of Barrington is seeking re-election. Democrat Jonathan Farnick of Woodstock is running as a write-in candidate. Green Party candidate Bill Scheurer of Lindenhurst is running, too. The winner of the Republican primary will run in the general election in November.
All of the GOP hopefuls believe marriage should be reserved for unions between men and women, but they differ on whether states or the federal government - if anyone at all - should exert legislative control.
Beveridge, a business owner, supports the 1996 Defense of Marriage Act, which mandated marriage should be between a man and a woman.
Even so, he believes marriage should be defined at the state level.
"I am concerned about activist judges legislating from the bench, so I also support the right of the people - at the state level - to pass constitutional amendments protecting marriage," he said.
Beveridge also opposes civil unions that would give gay couples more legal and financial rights.
Dawson, a business owner and former suburban school board member, also called gay marriage a state issue and said he would oppose a federal ban.
Unlike Beveridge, Dawson believes civil unions between gay couples should be allowed. It's a matter of equal legal rights, he said.
Geissler, a manager with a consulting firm, broke from the GOP pack by saying he doesn't believe government at any level should define marriage.
"As it stands now, marriage is a government sanctioned relationship, and one that I do not believe the government has an obligation to sanction," he said. "It should be solely the exclusive power of churches to decide who gets married and who does not."
An opponent of the Defense of Marriage Act, Geissler said the government's role in marriage should be limited to setting standards for legal agreements between consenting adults in regards to property, power of attorney, finances, and other issues that may arise. Such standards should be defined at the state level, he said.
Jacobs, a retired Cook County sheriff's deputy, also believes gay marriage is a state issue. He opposes gay marriage and sees no difference between marriage or civil unions.
Rodriguez, the village president of Long Grove, supports a national definition of marriage and would support a constitutional amendment banning gay marriage.
She opposes civil unions as an alternative to marriage for gay couples.
"That devalues the institution of marriage itself," Rodriguez said.
Walsh, a venture capitalist, insisted society and government need to recognize and protect marriage as a relationship between a man and a woman.
He opposes letting individual states decide the issue and supports a constitutional ban on state marriage.
"Without this codified distinction, a slippery slope would ensue where any type of relationship and or arrangement would be called marriage, much to the detriment of our society," Walsh said.
He also opposes civil unions, calling them "simply another way to achieve gay marriage."
The 8th District includes parts of Cook, Lake and McHenry counties. The seat carries a two-year term.