To regain voter trust, the GOP should start with marriage equality

The vaunted “red wave” that never materialized was a gut punch for Republicans nationwide, but nowhere more so than in New England. Come January, our entire six-state U.S. House delegation will again be devoid of any GOP representation. Nationally hyped races in Rhode Island, New Hampshire and Connecticut stayed in the blue column. On the Senate side, Susan Collins (R-Maine) remains the lone exception.

As the party enters another period of soul-searching and reflection, important work remains to be done. If we as Republicans want to appeal to a broad cross-section of constituents and the general electorate, fidelity to personal freedom and the Constitution must be given not only in word but also in deed. One immediate and important action that Senate Republicans should take is passing the Respect for Marriage Act (RMA) before the next Congress takes office.

Passing RMA has always been the right thing to do. But the need became more urgent following the Supreme Court ruling overturning Roe v. Wade. In his concurring decision, Justice Clarence Thomas suggested extending the precedent to facets of life beyond abortion, including same-sex marriage.

Since the 2015 Obergefell v. Hodges decision, same-sex marriage has been legal in all 50 states. Should the court overturn Obergefell, our country could very well revert to a patchwork system where marriage laws vary state by state. Marriages legal in one could be outlawed in another. 

The impact could be catastrophic. Lives upended, families torn apart, weddings canceled, marriage licenses invalidated, adoptions potentially banned. Having lived with my partner Jill for almost 17 years, this issue is deeply personal for us.

In our society, lives are arranged around the freedom to marry, ranging from how we file our taxes to the timing of having children. Elected officials in both parties should consider how their action, or inaction, on this sensitive issue will have a profound impact on the lives of the more than 1 million married same-sex couples, or those who hope and dream to marry, and their families and loved ones.

Failure to act would be a political albatross for Republicans to carry long into the future. A national survey from Gallup earlier this year showed 71 percent of Americans, including 55 percent of Republicans, favoring same-sex marriage — a new high. Those numbers trend even higher in New England. 

There’s a lot for all sides to appreciate about the RMA. It would codify the right to same-sex marriage nationwide. It would repeal the Clinton-era Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA), which remains federal law. It would also preserve religious liberty and honor the Religious Freedom Restoration Act. On Monday, a bipartisan group of senators reached a consensus to add further protections for nonprofit religious organizations into the broader bill.

In July, the RMA easily cleared the U.S. House of Representatives with the support of 47 Republicans. President Joe Biden has said he will sign it should it pass the Senate. So far, at least five Republican senators, including Collins, have indicated their support, moving it closer to the required 60-vote threshold.

Heading into the elections, Republicans made a bet that concerns about inflation would trump social issues and lead to significant electoral gains. Yet according to exit polls, 31 percent said inflation was their top issue while 27 percent said abortion. The delta was not wide enough for substantial GOP pick-ups. 

Republican leadership in the Northeast points a way forward where GOP governors have thrived. Vermont’s Phil Scott and outgoing Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker have enjoyed some of the highest approval ratings in the land. Both have been outspoken champions of marriage equality.

Among the lessons for Republicans in the disappointing midterms, our party needs to unify and continue to make our big tent even bigger. Failure to act on the right to marry or to block its passage will not bode well for the GOP in 2024.

Passing the RMA is not only the right thing to do — it will help the GOP with the rebuilding process everywhere, especially here in New England. 

Christina Nolan served as Vermont’s United States Attorney (2017-2021), the first woman to hold the position in state history. She was also a Republican U.S. Senate candidate in 2022.