Republican Rep. Julie Parrish Endorses Same-Sex Marriage

Deputy House GOP leader breaks with party platform

By NIGEL JAQUISS
JULIE PARRISH

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Add Rep. Julie Parrish (R-West Linn/Tualatin) to the growing list of Oregon Republicans who support the same sex-marriage measure aimed at the 2014 ballot.

Last week, WW reported that a group of bold-faced Republican names have formed a political action committee calls Freedom Oregon to support the measure. That group includes former U.S. Bob Packwood; former Oregon Attorney General Dave Frohnmayer; former Oregon Secretary of State Norma Paulus; and the biggest current contributor to Oregon GOP causes, Stimson Lumber CEO Andrew Miller.

Two of Parrish's colleagues, Reps. Vicki Berger (R-Salem) and Jim Thompson (R-Dallas) are part of Freedom Oregon.

Now Parrish, who as the Deputy House Republican Leader is the second-highest ranking member of her caucus, has also announced her support. 

Here's what Parrish posted on her Facebook page on Feb. 1 (emphasis added).

Parrish at odds with the
platform
If the government is going to be in the business of charging to officiate over a couple that wants to be legally bound, then do it for everyone," she wrote on Feb. 2.
"We live in a country where having our own beliefs is ok. I will not judge any of my friends for theirs."

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