Iowa state Rep. Massie backs Ron Paul

Republican presidential candidate U.S. Rep. Ron Paul (R-Texas) received the first Iowa legislative endorsement of his 2012 presidential candidacy. Freshman lawmaker Iowa Rep. Glen Massie (R-Des Moines) gave the Congressman the thumbs up when Paul visited his campaign headquarters in Ankeny Monday.

Image has not been found. URL: http://images.americanindependent.com/eeee23dfb6ie_125.jpg.jpg Glen Massie

Massie, a staunch Republican, said he considered it an honor to endorse the longtime Congressman, who is pursuing his third bid for the White House.

“It is distinct privilege and honor to endorse Ron Paul for President of the United States,” said Massie in a release published by Paul’s campaign team. “I have admired Ron Paul for a number of years for being a principled statesman who has faithfully kept his word to uphold the Constitution of this great country.”

Massie serves as vice chairman of the House Transportation Committee, and also serves on the Human Resources, Judiciary and State Government committees. He was recently one of five GOP members who attempted to force a vote to impeach four sitting Iowa Supreme Court justices that had taken part in an April 2009 decision to strike down a legislative ban on same-sex marriage as a violation of the state’s equal protection clause.

Early in the 2011 session, during House debate of a constitutional amendment to ban same-sex marriage, Massie was one of two GOP lawmakers that refused to yield to questions from Democratic lawmakers.

Paul, according to his response during a 2007 debate, believes that marriage is a religious institution and that in an ideal society government would only have limited involvement. Traditionally he has opposed all federal attempts to define marriage, and continues to hold that the issue is a decision for the states. He voted against the Federal Marriage Act in 2004, but co-sponsored the Marriage Protection Act that would have prohibited federal judges from hearing any cases related to the constitutionality of the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA).