President Obama wins reelection, showing nation’s historic shift on marriage

November 06, 2012

Tonight, Freedom to Marry applauds the reelection of President Barack Obama, the first sitting president to support the freedom to marry and the first person elected president after campaigning on a platform that fully supports the freedom to marry for same-sex couples. Since May, when President Obama voiced his personal support for ending the exclusion of same-sex couples from marriage, we have seen the president's support for marriage motivate supporters and galvanize voters in this tight race. 

In September, the Democratic Party added to the momentum for the marriage movement by being the first major U.S. political party to include a plank supporting the freedom to marry in its national platform. The contrast between the two presidential candidates, and between the two major parties, on fairness and equality for all couples, could not have been starker. And tonight, the American people voted for the candidate with the strongest record on the freedom to marry. 

Our founder and president Evan Wolfson issued a statement on the historic win. He said:

In reelecting President Obama, the American people chose a candidate who strongly and explicitly supports the freedom to marry - and rejected a challenger who had opposed the freedom to marry and criticized every step the president has taken to end discrimination against loving and committed gay couples and their families. Far from hurting President Obama, his support for the freedom to marry undoubtedly galvanized his base and independents, delivering the turn-out that carried him to victory. The president's reelection further reflects and accelerates the momentum for marriage, which Freedom to Marry will transform into more victories in 2013.

As we grow support in Congress and create a climate of encouragement around the Supreme Court, we look forward to working with President Obama and other supporters across the political spectrum to advance our Roadmap to Victory national strategy for winning marriage nationwide: joining together to enlarge and diversify the majority for marriage, win the freedom to marry in more states, and overturn the so-called Defense of Marriage Act that discriminates against legally married couples.

To celebrate, share this graphic congratulating President Obama and highlighting his historic support for the freedom to marry! And check our LIVE BLOG for Election Day updates, which will continue into the night as we see results from Maine, Maryland, and Minnesota. Results from Washington are not expected until later this week or early next week.