Contact: Paul Bothwell, National Organization for Marriage, 202-457-8060  ext 105, pbothwell@nationformarriage.org

WASHINGTON, Oct. 22, 2015 /Christian Newswire/ -- The National Organization for Marriage (NOM) today announced they have endorsed Matt Bevin in his race for Governor of Kentucky, and Whitney Westerfield as Attorney General of the state. Kentucky is one of three states with off-year elections and will elect a new governor and attorney general on November 3, 2015.

"Matt Bevin and Whitney Westerfield are the clear choices for the 75% of Kentucky voters who cast ballots to preserve marriage as the union of one man and one woman," said Brian Brown, NOM's president. "Bevin and Westerfield have stood up to defend traditional marriage and religious liberty while their opponents, Jack Conway and Andy Beshear, have abandoned voters on marriage and religious liberty."

Jack Conway, the incumbent Attorney General and Democratic candidate for governor, refused to defend the state's marriage amendment when it was challenged by gay activists. Andy Beshear, son of current Democratic governor Steve Beshear and the Democratic candidate for Attorney General to replace Conway, has defended his father's refusal to grant an accommodation to independently elected county clerks who do not wish to personally issue 'marriage' licenses that violate the Kentucky state constitution as well as their religious beliefs. Kentucky clerk Kim Davis spent nearly a week in jail before public pressure resulting in her being freed.

Meanwhile, Matt Bevin, the Republican candidate for governor, has a strong record in support of marriage and religious liberty. He appeared this week at a religious liberty rally in Owensboro, KY and said, "I will fight for our first amendment rights." Whitney Westerfield similarly has a strong record on marriage religious liberty and has called for Governor Beshear to issue an exemption for clerks like Kim Davis or call the Legislature into special session to deal with the problem. "There's a way to do this…to protect the religious freedoms of those people who object," he said at a recent debate with Andy Beshear.

"The issue before the people of Kentucky is whether they want a governor and attorney general who will fight for the rights of Kentuckians to preserve marriage and religious liberty, or will throw in the towel when those rights are challenged by wealthy gay activists," Brown said. "Kentucky deserves to determine its laws for itself, and the voters of Kentucky are entitled to have their decisions respected and defended. Jack Conway and Andy Beshear have abandoned them, but Matt Bevin and Whitney Westerfield will restore honor and leadership to those offices."

NOM referred voters to a statement recently issued by over 60 prominent legal scholars who have declared the recent US Supreme Court ruling to be "anti-constitutional and illegitimate." The scholars say that the ruling should not be considered binding precedent or settled law on anyone but the plaintiffs in the case, and called on state officeholders in Kentucky and elsewhere to "recognize the authority of states to define marriage, and the right of federal and state officeholders to act in accordance with those definitions."

"The people of the Commonwealth of Kentucky are not peasants conscribed to do the bidding of their 'masters' on the US Supreme Court," Brown said. "The constitution of the Unites States is the supreme law of the law, not what five unelected judges say it is, and the constitution of Kentucky is the supreme law of the Commonwealth. Voters should demand that their elected officials adhere to the constitution, including the decision of 75% of voters to define marriage as the union of one man and one woman."

To schedule an interview with Brian Brown, please contact Paul Bothwell, pbothwell@nationformarriage.org, (202) 457-8060 x-105. 

Paid for by The National Organization for Marriage, Brian Brown, president. 2029 K Street NW, Suite 300 Washington, DC 20006, not authorized by any candidate or candidate's committee.