Gov. Scott Walker continued his march on Iowa Saturday, touting conservative values alongside a lineup of Republican heavy hitters at the Iowa Faith and Freedom Coalition’s spring summit.
Appearing before a crowd of more than 1,000 at an evangelical church in Waukee, Walker made his most high-profile statement yet against same-sex marriage.
While a federal judge overturned Wisconsin’s constitutional ban on same-sex marriage in October, Walker expressed hope the U.S. Supreme Court would uphold states’ ability to bar the practice.
“I still hold out hope that the Supreme Court will rule, as has been the tradition in the past, that the states are the places that get to define what marriage is,” Walker said in his speech, the Capitol Times reported. “If for some reason they don’t … I believe it’s reasonable for the people of America to consider a constitutional amendment that would affirm the ability of states to do just that.”
Walker also hit back at remarks made by U.S. Sen. and potential presidential rival Marco Rubio, R-Fla., that there is “no way” a governor could be prepared for the presidency.
“I think governors innately have the ability to lead,” Walker told reporters after his speech. “We are required everyday to use our cabinet to make decisions, not just give speeches."
In addition to Walker and Rubio, Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal and U.S. Sens. Rand Paul, R-Ky. and Ted Cruz, R-Texas, made appearances at the event.
While Walker is widely expected to mount a presidential run, he has maintained he will not make a decision on the matter until after the state Legislature passes a budget, likely in June.
