Sen. Mark Warner announces support for gay marriage

Democratic Sen. Mark Warner of Virginia on Monday announced his support for gay marriage, making him the latest high-profile politician to state publicly that his opinion on the issue had changed.

"I support marriage equality because it is the fair and right thing to do. Like many Virginians and Americans, my views on gay marriage have evolved, and this is the inevitable extension of my efforts to promote equality and opportunity for everyone," he said in a statement posted on his Facebook page, noting that he signed an amicus brief urging the repeal of the Defense of Marriage Act, which bars federal recognition of same-sex marriages.

Warner's announcement comes on the eve of Supreme Court oral arguments this week on gay marriage cases, including consideration on Wednesday regarding whether DOMA constitutes federal overreach.

Warner's public announcement follows similar statements of support for gay marriage from politicians including Missouri Democratic Sen. Claire McCaskill, Ohio Republican Sen. Rob Portman, and former Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton, a Democrat.

Warner is running for re-election in 2014 in his highly competitive home state.