John Boehner On Gay Marriage: 'I Can’t Imagine' Having A Gay Child Would Change My Stance,' Says House Speaker

In an exclusive interview with Martha Raddatz on ABC’s “This Week,” House Speaker John Boehner (R-OH) stated that he “can’t imagine” that having a gay child would alter his stance on gay marriage.

Boehner’s comments came in the wake of fellow Republican Sen. Rob Portman’s change of heart on the issue, due in large part to his son’s admission that he was gay. While Boehner referred to Portman as “a great friend and a longtime ally,” he remains steadfast in his conviction that marriage can only take place between a man and a woman.

When asked directly about the issue by Raddatz, Boehner responded by saying, “Listen, I believe that marriage is the union of one man and one woman. It's what I grew up with. It's what I believe. It's what my church teaches me. And I can't imagine that position would ever change.”

The gay marriage debate was reignited on Friday, when Sen. Portman penned an op-ed for the Columbus Dispatch. “I have come to believe that if two people are prepared to make a lifetime commitment to love and care for each other in good times and in bad, the government shouldn’t deny them the opportunity to get married,” he wrote.

The issue of gay marriage is a source of increasing friction among Republicans in Congress, with many arguing that the party’s conservative viewpoints are contributing to their recent election setbacks. Others, such as Boehner, are unwilling to budge on the issue. On the other side of the aisle, Barack Obama became the first sitting president to announce support for equality of marriage in May.

You can hear House Speaker Boehner’s comments for yourself here: