Senator Tammy Baldwin (D., Wis.), the first openly gay U.S. senator, spoke with National Review Online after leaving the Supreme Court at the end of today’s oral arguments on the Defense of Marriage Act.
“It was a piece of history to take in,” she said, “and I think it’s always hard to evaluate the outcome based on the oral arguments. But it was far-ranging on the issues of standing, federalism, equal protection, and I just feel very lucky to have taken in a piece of history.”
When asked if she thinks the Republican party’s view of the issue is shifting, given Ohio senator Rob Portman’s recent announcement of his support for gay marriage, Baldwin was optimistic about change on the right.
“I think — between the case yesterday, when you had over 80 prominent Republicans, many from the Bush administration, filing an amicus, to more and more leaders — that we are seeing progress,” she says.