This southern American State has its first openly gay lawmaker

The ultra-Republican South Carolina has just gained its first openly gay lawmaker.

Jason Elliot, 46, is from the Greenville – which is a particularly unlikely place to elect an openly gay legislator – and home to the conservative Bob Jones University.

In his new role at the South Carolina House of Representatives, former attorney Elliott will focus on improving education, increasing jobs and repairing the State’s roads and bridges.

Elliott is also pro-life. He writes on his website:

I am a strong pro-life advocate.

As a Christian and father, I stand firm that life begins at conception and will defend this stance against any liberal attacks.

Elliott said his sexual orientation wasn’t an issue on the campaign trail, and isn’t relevant to his new post, according to the The Post and Courier.

He said:

Every South Carolinian has equal rights, not special rights, and I believe each part of the constitution is equally important.

In South Carolina, that means respecting other people's viewpoints and protecting religious freedom.

There are people who have a 100 percent opposite viewpoint from me on the orientation issue, and I respect that, and I understand that, and I'm not threatened by that.

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