U.S. Service Academies

In this file photo, U.S. Rep. Charlie Dent at Fort Indiantown Gap in Lebanon County. Paul Chaplin | pchaplin@pennlive.com

(PAUL CHAPLIN)

The Lebanon County Republican Committee on Thursday night voted to censure U.S. Rep. Charlie Dent, R-Allentown, over his supportive statements concerning same-sex marriage.

The voice vote involving 141 committee members was "overwhelmingly" in favor of the censure motion, said Casey Long, the committee chairman. A censure amounts to a strong statement of disapproval.

Asked about the expected impact of the action, Long said: "I don't know if there's going to be an outcome. I think the censure was simply a means for the members to express their displeasure with Congressman Dent on this particular issue." Long noted the committee still supports Dent in his re-election bid in November.

Dent, known as a centrist willing to break ranks with House leadership on major issues, first drew attention for his comments following the May 20 federal court ruling against Pennsylvania's same-sex marriage ban. In a statement following the ruling, he said: "U.S. District Judge John E. Jones's ruling on this issue appears to be the final legal say on this matter. To all the individuals who will now be able to marry as a result of today's ruling – Congratulations!"

His support for same sex-marriage, which he expanded on about a week later in statements first reported by the Washington Post, made national news.

A Dent spokesman didn't immediately return a telephone message left late Friday afternoon. Dent's district begins in Northampton County and extends through Lebanon County and into Dauphin County.