Republican presidential candidate John Kasich delivers a speech in Washington last month. At a campaign event in California on Friday, Kasich agreed with a questioner that gay people are "probably" born that way. Photo by Kevin Dietsch/UPI | License Photo

SAN FRANCISCO, April 30 (UPI) -- Republican presidential candidate Ohio Gov. John Kasich said gay people "probably" do not choose to be gay and are born that way, after being pressed by a questioner in a lengthy exchange at a campaign event in California.

The questioner, Kelly Bryan, 62, who said he is a gay man who came out to his family at 19, engaged Kasich in a sometimes testy 7 minute debate over gay rights. He started off by asking Kasich: "Do you believe that some people are born gay?"


Kasich, as he has done at similar events when asked about gay rights, pivoted to his opposition to legislation that prohibits transgender people from using the bathroom they prefer, or that reinforces a business owner's right to deny gay people service based on their religious beliefs.

"In terms of me, I don't believe in discrimination, I think there is a balance, however, between discrimination and people's religious liberties," Kasich said. "But I think we should just try to, like, take a chill pill, relax, and try to get along with one another a little bit better instead of trying to write some law to solve a problem that doesn't frankly exist in big enough numbers to justify more lawmaking."

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Bryan then pressed Kasich on the GOP platform, which includes a plank opposing same-sex marriage.

"Republicans don't believe in marriage equality, it's your platform," Bryan said.

Kasich responded, saying "I haven't read that thing lately," and insisted he is not bound by Republican orthodoxy when it comes to his own beliefs.

Bryan then returned to the gay-as-a-choice question. Kasich at first tried to avoid answering.

"I'm not gonna get into all the analysis of this or that, I'm not gonna do that," Kasich said.

The event's moderator tried to move to the next topic, but Kasich continued: "You know, sir, probably. I mean, I don't, I don't know how it all works, OK? I mean, look. Are they? You know, probably they are. OK?"

Kasich went on to defend his position, saying he is not in favor of same-sex weddings, but remains opposed to legislation that would discriminate against homosexuals.

"I don't agree with gay marriage, but I went to a gay wedding, OK? That's what I've done."