A flip-flop on gay marriage issue creates controversy.
By Deepak Chitnis
WASHINGTON, DC: Maryland House of Delegates member Sam Arora has announced that he will not seek re-election to his office in 2014.
Arora, a Democrat, told The Washington Post on November 1 that he would vacate his current posting when his term expires in January of 2015, and that his popularity and likelihood of re-election did not factor into the decision.
“When my term of office concludes […] I plan to return full time to my work in the private sector,” Arora said, adding that he “weighed the caliber of effort I expect of myself when representing our community in the General Assembly, the demands of helping to lead a rapidly expanding family business in a challenging economy and how to care for my family well during this season of life.”
The validity of that claim, however, is questionable. The 32 year-old Arora’s popularity took a hit last year, when he voted against a popular bill that would have allowed same-sex couples in Maryland to get married. The move was surprising because Arora had spoken supportively of same-sex rights during his 2010 campaign, and had co-sponsored a same-sex marriage bill during his time in office in 2011.
But Arora’s opposition to the bill caused an outcry from the LGBT (Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transsexual) community, calling for his resignation. Arora defended his decision, saying that although he initially thought such a bill was beneficial to the state, he ultimately came away from that decision after speaking to constituents.
In an email Arora sent out announcing his decision, he stated his intention to start a family and his commitment to his family business – The Arora Group, a healthcare company – as the main reasons for his choosing to abdicate his office when the time comes.
“[M]y decision was based upon whether I could govern well, be a good leader, be a good husband and father — and do it all at the same time.”
Arora represents Maryland’s 19th District along with three other lawmakers: Sen. Robert Manno and Dels. Bonnie L. Cullison and Benjamin F. Kramer. All three of them have reportedly distanced themselves from Arora as a direct result of his flip-flopping on same-sex marriages, saying that they all intend to run for re-election on a joint ballot.
To contact the author, email to deepakchitnis@americanbazaaronline.com