A Republican state senator in Minnesota has been given a vote of no confidence by his GOP constituents after he came out in support of same-sex marriage.
Branden Petersen, a first-term senator who represents the North Star State's Andover area, received the admonishment by the district's Republican executive board.
The board insisted the no-confidence vote was not the result of Petersen's views but because of his failure to disclose his views early on.
"It wasn't really his view on the marriage issue, it was just multiple violations of our trust," said Don Huizenga, deputy chairman of the Senate District 35 Republicans, told The Minnesota Star Tribune.
He said Republicans also were incensed by a fundraising letter Petersen had mailed touting his support of a group that pledged to back those in favor of same-sex marriage.
But Petersen told the Star-Tribune he's not convinced by the explanation of the board's action.
"What's at the root of the issue is the issue itself, which is gay marriage," he said, adding that the "disappointing" no-confidence vote will not stop him from running for re-election in 2016 in his district in Andover, 30 miles north of Minneapolis.
Last month, Minnesota's Democratic Gov. Mark Dayton signed the
bill legalizing same-sex marriage. It will take effect in August.
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