Texas Governor Rick Perry slams judge's ruling striking down state's marriage ban

'Texans spoke loud and clear by overwhelmingly voting to define marriage as a union between a man and a woman in our Constitution'

26 FEBRUARY 2014 | BY GREG HERNANDEZ

Texas Governor Rick Perry believes that a federal judge who struck the state's gay marriage ban today is going against the will of the people.

The Republican, who has a history 0f anti-gay positions and statements, said the voters of his state made their views on same-sex marriage clear in 2005 when they approved a constitutional ban by a 76% margin.

'Texans spoke loud and clear by overwhelmingly voting to define marriage as a union between a man and a woman in our Constitution, and it is not the role of the federal government to overturn the will of our citizens,' Perry said in a statement issued after the ruling by federal judge Orlando Garcia.

Perry added: 'The 10th Amendment guarantees Texas voters the freedom to make these decisions, and this is yet another attempt to achieve via the courts what couldn’t be achieved at the ballot box.'

Perry is named as a defendant in the case brought by two couples challenging the state's gay marriage ban. The state is preparing its appeal.

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