Calvert voted for the 1996 Defense of Marriage Act, which allowed states to refuse to recognize same-sex marriages, and in 2010 voted against the repeal of the military’s “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy. But he has said his views, like those of many Americans, have changed over time.
He broke with his fellow Republicans in 2022 by voting for the Respect for Marriage Act protecting same-sex and interracial marriages, after voting against the 2021 Equality Act, which would have prohibited anti-LGBTQ+ discrimination in employment, housing and other areas.
Rollins said he and his partner “came of age when being gay was still a crime in many states, homophobia was pervasive, same-sex marriage was illegal, and LGBTQ people were not allowed to serve openly in the military.”
The Democrat has blamed GOP leaders for supporting conservative Supreme Court justices who could dismantle gay rights, and said he would fight to pass the Equality Act.