It was only a few years ago that a local official in Louisiana drew national ire, and threats of dismissal from Gov. Bobby Jindal, for refusing to issue a marriage license to an interracial couple because he held the personal conviction that such marriages are wrong and undermine the wellbeing of children. Now, however, many Republicans are rallying around local officials who refuse to issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples, similarly citing their personal convictions that such marriages are wrong.

One of these officials is Casey Davis, a county clerk in Kentucky who has boasted that he will defy the Supreme Court’s ruling on marriage and deny marriage licenses to same-sex couples.

Davis appeared on the Family Research Council’s “Washington Watch” program yesterday, where he tried to portray himself as the latest victim of anti-Christian persecution in America.

Davis told host Tony Perkins, who heads the Family Research Council and recently praised Davis, that his rights are “being violated” by being asked to perform his job responsibilities.

“It’s not just me being violated but it’s both side of the coin, both sides of this issue that’s at stake here, and that is our First Amendment rights,” Davis said. “We have religious freedom in this country and if we lose that we’ve lost everything.”