One of California's most prominent Republicans has made a big shift on the issue of gay marriage.
Meg Whitman, who was the Republican nominee for governor in 2010, was one of at least 75 notable Republicans who signed a Supreme Court brief that states that gay marriage is a constitutional right.
Whitman's newfound support for gay marriage is significant, as she was a supporter of California's Proposition 8 when she ran for governor. The high court will consider the constitutionality of Proposition 8 this term, hearing arguments at the end of March. Proposition 8, passed by California voters in 2008, states that marriage is between a man and a woman.
Whitman, now the CEO of Hewlett-Packard, took to LinkedIn Tuesday to elaborate on her reversal, saying that a lot has changed since 2010.
I have come to embrace same-sex marriage after a period of careful review and reflection. As a candidate for governor three years ago, I supported Proposition 8. At the time, I believed the people of California had weighed in on this question and that overturning the will of the people was the wrong approach. The facts and arguments presented during the legal process since then have had a profound impact on my thinking.
Whitman also wrote that marriage is a fundamental uniter of society.
"It makes no difference whether the marriage is between a man and woman or a woman and woman," she wrote. "Marriage makes society better."
That, in turn, will strengthen the nation, she said.
"Establishing a constitutional right of marriage equality in California will strengthen our nation as a whole," Whitman wrote.
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