Oregon GOP candidate for governor: Same-sex marriage is 'a sin, just the same as murder'

A Republican candidate for the governorship of Oregon said in a meeting with the Oregonian newspaper that she views same-sex marriage as a sin on par with murder. The Oregonian's Harry Esteve reported that candidate Lorraine Mae Rafferty believes the same about abortion.

Rafferty hails from Selma, OR, a tiny town south of Grants Pass, and has never held elected office. She believes, however, that someone must challenge current GOP frontrunner Rep. Dennis Richardson because of Richardson's support for trade with China.

"I was concerned about some of his ideology," she told Esteve, "what he calls his 'Made in Oregon' plan, which sounds all great, but is actually designed to encourage Chinese businesses to settle in Oregon. I believe this is America's land, in spite of the fact that our politicians are selling us out constantly."

When Esteve asked about her social conservatism, Rafferty said that he has listened to the other Republican candidates and found them lacking.

"I would have to say that I definitely believe that [same-sex marriage] is wrong," she said. "I believe it's a sin, just the same as murder's a sin."

On abortion, she said, "I believe that would be murder. I'm against abortion. I think it's kind of misunderstood. People don't really understand and, you know, I wish that people, if I become governor, I think that would be one of my things, that maybe some kind of an education thing to -- maybe even if I payed for it out of my own pocket -- to try to get people to understand that, um, a baby in the womb is a human being."

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[image via MaeForGovernor.com]