Republican Sen. Mark Kirk of Illinois just released a statement endorsing same-sex marriage, making him only the second Republican senator (after Rob Portman) to do so.

"When I climbed the Capitol steps in January, I promised myself that I would return to the Senate with an open mind and greater respect for others," Kirk's statement begings. "Same-sex couples should have the right to civil marriage. Our time on this earth is limited, I know that better than most. Life comes down to who you love and who loves you back–government has no place in the middle."

Re "Our time on this earth is limited, I know that better than most": Kirk suffered a stroke in Jan. 2012.