Anti-Gay Sen. Brownback Considers Presidential Bid

Noted arch-conservative and anti-gay Sen. Sam Brownback (R-KS) says the Republican Party has room for a "full-scale Ronald Reagan conservative" and pledged to make a final decision next month for a White House bid in 2008.

Brownback was elected in 1996 and is a strong foe of abortion, same-sex marriage and embryonic stem-cell research. This fall, he blocked a Michigan judge's elevation to the federal bench because she attended a family friend's lesbian commitment ceremony in Massachusetts in 2002, before same-sex marriage was legal there.

Brownback is probably best known for his comments in a Rolling Stone profile when he criticized countries like Sweden that allow same-sex civil unions. "You'll know them by their fruits," Brownback said, claiming he was quoting the Bible and meant no offense to gays.

Brownback says his ideals and policy positions will trump low name recognition among a better-known field of GOP presidential candidates. Arizona Sen. John McCain and former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani have set up presidential exploratory committees. Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney and Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist (R-TN) are weighing bids as well.

Kansas' Brownback Considers Prez Bid (MSNBC)

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