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Passaic County Republican Chairman John Traier marries longtime partner

| 09 Jul 2015 | 10:12
    Passaic County Regular Republican Organization Chairman John Traier, seated left, married his longtime partner Mark Peterson, right, on July 4 at Skylands Manor in Ringwood. Giving the reading is Kim Renta, a friend of the couple. In the background is former Paterson Mayor Lawrence “Pat” Kramer.
    Passaic County Regular Republican Organization Chairman John Traier, seated left, married his longtime partner Mark Peterson, right, on July 4 at Skylands Manor in Ringwood. Giving the reading is Kim Renta, a friend of the couple. In the background is former Paterson Mayor Lawrence “Pat” Kramer.

CLIFTON — On July 4, Passaic County Regular Republican Party Chairman John Traier married his partner of 28 years, Mark Peterson.

Putting his marriage in the context of last month’s U.S. Supreme Court ruling on same sex marriage, Traier said he and Peterson are simply exercising the right that every heterosexual couple has to marry the person they love.

Traier’s wedding was planned long before the Court’s June 25 ruling in Obergefell v. Hodges that removed state barriers to same sex marriage, but Traier said the ruling makes his wedding a bit more celebratory, not political.

“Our ceremony on July 4th is not about making a political statement; it’s a personal expression of our commitment to each other and, thankfully, the highest court in our nation says that the U.S. Constitution protects our right to get married and to have a ceremony that is recognized as marriage,” said Traier, 58.

The chairman said he looks forward to the day when marriage is not a divisive issue in America.

“There will soon come a time when a same sex couple getting married won’t be earth shattering news, or a public declaration of social defiance or an insult to anyone’s religion,” said Traier, a Roman Catholic. “It will be just two people making a public commitment to each other.”

Traier admits that his position in politics may shine the spotlight on him a bit more brightly than it may on other gay men, but he said his marriage should not be interpreted as a knock against the Republican Party.

“I’m a Republican because I believe in many things the party stands for. I believe in a muscular and pragmatic foreign policy; in personal responsibiltiy; in limited government, lower taxes and in the economic policies that spur growth,” said Traier, a certified public accountant.

“I also happen to believe in a big tent Republican Party that has a productive dialogue with Hispanics and African-Americans, as well as gays and lesbians,” added Traier. “My sincere hope is that the Republican Party will evolve on the gay rights issues in the same ways the Democrats recently have.

“Ultimately same sex marriage is about supporting individual rights ,” said Traier, “and the Republican Party has had a pretty good record supporting individual rights.”