This GOP lawmaker attended his gay son’s wedding only 3 days after voting against marriage equality

On July 19, members of the U.S. House of Representatives voted to codify legal protections for same-sex marriage when the Respect For Marriage Act was passed 267–157. No Democrats voted against it, and 47 House Republicans voted in favor of it. Rep. Glenn Thompson of Pennsylvania was among the 157 Republicans who voted against it. And Thompson’s gay son got married on Friday, July 22 — only three days after the GOP congressman voted against the bill.

With the Respect For Marriage Act having passed in the House, it remains to be seen whether or not it can pass in the U.S. Senate as well. The bill comes at a time when supporters of same-sex marriage fear that the U.S. Supreme Court will overturn Obergefell v. Hodges, the 2015 ruling that made same-sex marriage legal nationwide.

When the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade with its ruling in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, Justice Clarence Thomas argued that the Court should also “reconsider” Obergefell — which he voted against in 2015. And Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas is saying that he believes Obergefell was wrongly decided. If supporters of same-sex marriage can find enough Republican votes to get the Respect For Marriage Act passed in the Senate, Cruz obviously won’t be one of them.

READ MORE: With Roe overturned, Clarence Thomas is now preparing for a full-frontal assault on contraception, gay rights

Thompson, according to NBC News reporter Zachary Schermele, attended his gay son’s wedding on July 22. But the congressman had slammed the Respect For Marriage Act during an interview with the Centre Daily Times, describing it as “nothing more than an election-year messaging stunt for Democrats in Congress who have failed to address historic inflation and out-of-control prices at gas pumps and grocery stores.”

So far, according to CNN, five GOP senators have said they will or are likely to join Democrats in voting for the Respect For Marriage Act if it comes up for a vote: Sen. Susan Collins of Maine, Sen. Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, Sen. Thom Tillis of North Carolina, Sen. Rob Portman of Ohio and Sen. Ron Johnson of Wisconsin. Johnson is lukewarm in his support, saying, “Even though I feel the Respect for Marriage Act is unnecessary, should it come before the Senate, I see no reason to oppose it.”

But in order for it to pass, at least five more Republican senators will be needed. Eight GOP senators have said that they definitely won’t vote for it, including Cruz, Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, Sen. Marco Rubio of Florida, Sen. John Cornyn of Texas, Sen. Josh Hawley of Missouri, Sen. Bill Cassidy of Louisiana, Sen. James Inhofe of Oklahoma and Sen. Roger Wicker of Mississippi. But according to CNN, many other Republican senators remain undecided.

READ MORE: Ted Cruz says Obergefell was 'wrong when it was decided'