As children, we are often taught to follow the lead of our elders. However, sometimes that doesn’t happen. Sometimes the younger generation figures something out before the adults and makes history.

Such is the case for the millennial youth of the Republican Party. Although same-sex marriage and conservatives have had a tumultuous past, some youth of the GOP are working to change that relationship.

A recent study done by the Pew Research Center shows a drastic rise in the number of young conservatives who support same-sex marriage. The study showed that nearly 40 percent of young Republicans in the age group of 18-29 are in favor of same-sex marriage. This increase is significant compared to the study’s findings in 2007-2008, which stated that nearly 70 percent of young Republicans in the same age group were against same-sex marriage, while 25 percent supported it. A 15 percent increase in support is an unquestionable sign that change is happening and will likely continue.

“The University of Oregon College Republicans has a diverse membership, which includes advocates for both sides of the issue (same-sex marriage),” UO junior Caleb Huegel said, who is both standing chairman of the University of Oregon College Republicans and of the Oregon Federation of College Republicans, the state level of the organization.

Joseph Lewis, a member of the campus group, says that this might be because young Republicans across the country are more focused on important economic issues like jobs rather than social issues.

“I attribute it (the increase in support) to a change in culture within the party,” Lewis said, a supporter of the legalization of same-sex marriage himself.

“A recent movement has been coming along — a libertarian movement within the party,” Lewis said. “It’s been trying to get back to our roots of being all about individual freedoms, and not having federal and state government reaching within someone’s life. I believe that young people are starting to realize that government agencies are starting to overstep too much into peoples lives. They then attribute that to gay marriage and other social issues.”

The idea that the federal government is overstepping its boundaries is important in this discussion. The 10th Amendment, for instance, is a reason for many young GOP members support of marriage equality. The amendment states that any powers not expressly delegated to the federal government in the Constitution are “reserved to the states respectively, or to the people.”

This amendment can be interpreted as the right for Oregonians to choose same-sex marriage for their state, rather than rely on the federal government to pass measures allowing same-sex couples to get married. One look at past Supreme Court cases show that the Court has ruled numerous times in support of a constitutional right to have the freedom of choice when it comes to sexual or living partners, no matter whether the choice is heterosexual or homosexual.

The power is shifting away from those who oppose same-sex marriage as the youth of GOP push the party in a more libertarian direction.

By Camille Lieurance