CINCINNATI (AP) -- Republican U.S. Sen. Rob Portman of Ohio says he now supports gay marriage because one of his sons is gay.

The Cincinnati Enquirer reports (cin.ci/15PONEa) that during an interview Thursday in Washington, Portman said his evolution on the subject of gay marriage began in 2011 when his son, Will, then a freshman at Yale University, told his parents he was gay.

Portman says his new views reflect "a change of heart from the position of a father" and that he first talked to his pastor and others, including former Vice President Dick Cheney, whose daughter is a lesbian.

As a member of the House in 1996, Portman voted in favor of the Defense of Marriage Act, which defines marriage as between a man and a woman and bars federal recognition of same-sex marriage.

---

Information from: The Cincinnati Enquirer, http://www.enquirer.com