Current State Treasurer and Illinois Republican gubernatorial candidate Judy Baar Topinka has made her position known regarding same-sex marriage—she's against it.

Topinka's campaign manager, Terry Barnich, recently expressed that stance in an item published at SuburbanChicagoNews.com. Barnich responded to an attempt by entrepreneur and fellow GOP candidate Jim Oberweis' to gather signatures for a constitutional amendment in Illinois that would ban same-sex marriage. Specifically, Barnich said that 'Judy believes that marriage is between a biological man and a biological woman,' because state law already defines marriage in that manner.

The statement was echoed to Windy City Times by another prominent player in the Topinka campaign, David Loveday—although he did add another element. 'Judy is not supportive of gay marriage,' he said. 'However, she is supportive of civil unions.' ( Communications to Cory Jobe, Topinka's openly gay director for her office of economic development, were not returned by WCT's deadline. )

Topinka has painted herself as a supporter of gay rights, even having marched in Chicago's Pride Parades as recently as last year. Her stated position concerning the LGBT community marked her as more moderate than her fellow candidates, who include Oberweis, former chairman of the Illinois State board of Education Ron Gidwitz and Illinois State Sen. Bill Brady—and also instantly marked her as a target by those candidates. Interestingly, though, gay rights are not mentioned on her Web site, www.judyforgov.com , although other issues ( such as education and ethics ) are prominently highlighted.

In addition, Topinka has made the controversial move of making DuPage County State's Attorney Joseph Birkett her running mate for lieutenant governor—a man who some have said has assumed an ambiguous role regarding gay rights, at best. He did not march in the 2002 Pride Parade, but attended a reception for political candidates just before the parade at the gay nightspot Sidetrack. He also stated his opposition to House Bill 101, which outlawed sexual orientation and gender identity discrimination, before it passed.

Voters in primaries do not select the governor and lieutenant governor together, bringing up the possibility of a nominee for governor being paired with a political opponent.