Thursday 8 September 2022 12:14 AM Republican Senator Ron Johnson says he WON'T back same-sex marriage bill in its ... trends now

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GOP Sen. Ron Johnson now says he will not back a same-sex marriage bill due to religious liberty concerns.  

The stance is a reverse for the Wisconsin Republican who in July said he saw 'no reason to oppose' the bill. 

'I always support civil unions [and] never felt this bill is necessary,' Johnson told reporters Wednesday at the Capitol. 'This is just Democrats opening up a wound that doesn't need to be opened up. And now that I've talked to people there are some very serious concerns on religious liberty.' 

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., vowed the upper chamber would take up the Respect for Marriage Act in September, after it passed the House 267-157 in July, with 47 Republicans voting with all Democrats. 

Same sex marriage is already legal in all 50 states - the 2013 Supreme Court ruling, Obergefell v. Hodges, found that portions of the 1996 Defense of Marriage Act that prevented the federal government from recognizing same-sex unions for federal benefits was unconstitutional. Still, the law has remained in place - the Respect for Marriage Act would repeal it.