The Son of (gay indecisive) Gov Walker a Witness at Gay Wedding

                                                                             

Gov. Scott Walker may be having a little trouble stating his position on gay marriage these days.

Not so his son Alex.

Alex Walker, who will be a sophomore this fall at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, recently acted as the state-required witness to a gay marriage in Waukesha County.

Records show Shelli Marquardt and Cathy Priem married at the Waukesha County Courthouse on June 9. Alex Walker, 19, scribbled his signature on the marriage certificate as one of two adult witnesses to the wedding. The certificate is on file with the Waukesha County register of deeds.

Laurel Patrick, a spokeswoman for the governor, confirmed Thursday that Walker's son was present for the event for the lesbian couple. One of the two women, Patrick noted, is a relative of first lady Tonette Walker.

"Shelli Marquardt is the first lady's cousin," Patrick said in a statement. "She is a part of the Walker family who they dearly love."

Marquardt is the chief executive of the Wheaton Franciscan-St. Joseph Foundation and the stepdaughter of prominent local businessman George Dalton, who died in 2011; Priem is a longtime real estate agent. The pair live in Hartland.

Marquardt and Priem are listed, along with Walker and his wife, as hosts of an Independence Day barbecuestarting at 3 p.m. Sunday at the Executive Residence. Both Marquardt and Priem are past donors to Walker's campaign fund, having given a total of $1,678.

Patrick did not say whether the governor or first lady attended the same-sex wedding last month. Alex Walker did not respond to emails on Thursday.

"Just heard the fabulous news from tonette," one relative recently wrote on Facebook under a picture of Marquardt and Priem holding a "just married" sign last month. "We are thrilled for you both. Congrats and much love from the Tarantino Gang in Az.!!"

Tarantino is the first lady's maiden name.

Three days after the Marquardt-Priem wedding, Walker garnered national attention for his refusal to state his position on the hot-button subject, suggesting that his views on gay marriage were not relevant. He has long been a proponent of traditional marriage of one man and woman.

Asked June 12 if he were rethinking his views on gay marriage, the first-term Republican governor — and possible presidential contender — said: "No, I'm just not stating one at all."

Walker did make clear, however, that he supports Attorney General J.B. Van Hollen's appeal of U.S. District Judge Barbara Crabb's order last month striking down the state's 2006 constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriages.

County clerks around the state issued marriage licenses to nearly 600 same-sex couples in the week after that ruling. Crabb then put at least a temporary halt to the gay weddings, setting up the appeal by the state to the federal 7th Circuit Court of Appeals in Chicago.

It's not clear whether the same-sex marriages performed last month will hold up in court.

Last year, Walker told BuzzFeed that his two sons had become more aware of gay rights since going to college. Matthew, 20, is a junior at Marquette University and chairman of the Wisconsin Federation of College Republicans.

Walker said his sons have suggested the government should leave it to churches and other institutions to define and oversee the institution of marriage.

"That's a solid argument," Walker told the website. "I personally may not embrace that yet. But that, to me, is a bigger question. ... I get their concerns."

His sons' views on gay marriage appear to be very much in line with those of other young conservatives. Last month, a Pew Research Center poll found that 61% of self-described Republicans under 30 support legalizing gay marriage while only 35% oppose it.

In Wisconsin, public opinion has shifted dramatically since voters easily approved the state ban on same-sex marriage eight years ago. Today, a solid majority of state residents now favor legalizing same-sex marriage, according to the most recent Marquette Law School poll.

Daniel Bice

Contact Daniel Bice at (414) 224-2135 or dbice@jrn.com. Follow him on Twitter @DanielBice or on Facebook at fb.me/daniel.bice.