GOP Sen. Mike Braun Says He Supports State’s Right To Ban Interracial Marriage, Then Walks Back Comments

Sen. Mike Braun (R-Indiana) attempted to revise a statement he made in a press conference Tuesday about landmark Supreme Court case, Loving v. Virginia, which legalized interracial marriage in the United States.

In the press conference, Braun was discussing the high court’s upcoming ruling on Mississippi’s 15-week abortion ban, in which the court is expected to overturn or limit Roe v. Wade, which outlined federal abortion rights. He said he believed that national policies legalized by the Supreme Court should be left up to the states to decide whether or not they want to adopt the law.

A reporter’s follow-up question was, “You would be okay with the Supreme Court leaving the issue of interracial marriage to the states?”

“Yes,” Braun responded.

The senator double-downed on the statement saying that if the rule applied to abortion, it should apply to interracial marriage, too.

“Yes, I think that that’s something that if you’re not wanting the Supreme Court to weigh in on issues like that, you’re not going to be able to have your cake and eat it too. I think that’s hypocritical,” he said.

Later on Tuesday, Braun said that he “misunderstood” the question.

“Earlier during a virtual press conference I misunderstood a line of questioning that ended up being about interracial marriage, let me be clear on that issue – there is no question the Constitution prohibits discrimination of any kind based on race, that is not something that is even up for debate, and I condemn racism in any form, at all levels and by any states, entities, or individuals,” said a statement released by Bruan’s office.