GOP candidate: Gay marriage like marrying a table or a clock

Republican candidate for Wisconsin Lt. Governor Rebecca Kleefisch compared same-sex marriage to marrying a clock during a radio interview.

"This is a slippery slope," Kleefisch said. "In addition to that at what point are we going to be okay marrying inanimate objects? Can I marry this table or this, you know, clock? Can we marry dogs?

"This is ridiculous," continued Kleefisch. "And biblically, again, I'm going to go right back to my fundamental Christian beliefs marriage is between one man and one woman."

Her statements upset gay rights activists, who protested outside the University of Wisconsin-Waukesha while she gave a speech.

"She's perpetuating the idea that it's not okay to be gay," said one protester.

"The people of Wisconsin are against gay marriage," Kleefisch later told FOX6's Real Milwaukee. "The people of Wisconsin spoke on this issue, as you guys are aware, in 2006 passed a constitutional amendment that said marriage is between one man and one woman."

Asked how she felt about Wisconsin's amendment prohibiting same-sex marriage, Kleefisch responded that she is "against gay marriage as well" because it is a "fiscal back breaker."

"The legislative fiscal bureau announced about five days ago that we are actually $265 million dollars further in the hole than we expected to be this year," said Kleefisch. "We just don’t have the money to be giving out for extra benefits right now. It’s a fiscal back breaker."

In June, the Wisconsin Supreme Court upheld the state's ban on same-sex marriage and civil unions, as the Associated Press reported.

The constitutional amendment prohibiting same-sex marriage was put into effect in 2006 after being approved by a statewide referendum.

The Wisconsin Family Action Network, which was instrumental in the passage of the same-sex marriage ban, has publicly endorsed Kleefisch.