By Randal Edgar

PROVIDENCE, R.I. -- State General Treasurer Frank T. Caprio's declaration of support for same-sex marriage at a State House rally on Wednesday drew cheers from many of the people who attended, but his statement is also prompting questions from the campaign manager for his Democratic rival in the 2010 gubernatorial race.

Joel Coon, campaign manager for Attorney General Patrick C. Lynch, points to a January 2009 Caprio interview with a blog called Anchor Rising, in which Caprio says with reference to same-sex marriage that while he does not believe in imposing his views on others, his beliefs are consistent with those of the Catholic Church.

Asked in the interview if he would support same-sex marriage, Caprio says he would "look at any bill that dealt with same sex, civil unions marriage or whatever it would and weigh the merits of that bill."

"If something was presented that I saw as reasonable I wouldn't stand in its way of passage," he said. "But by the time it got to that point it would obviously go through a lot of, a lot of debate and compromise I would think."

Caprio also told The Journal at the time that while his personal beliefs are what he professes "at church on Sunday," he "wouldn't stand in front of" same-sex marriage "becoming law or going on the ballot."

Coon says those statements are different than what Caprio said on Wednesday, when he stood at the podium at the rally organized by Marriage Equality Rhode Island and said that as governor he would "sign the marriage equality bill" and "work with the legislature to see that it gets through the legislature."

Coon asks: "Did he change his personal views or is he violating his own personal views for political gain?"

Caprio spokesman Nick Hemond says in response that Caprio did not change his views and has "an almost two-decade-long record of supporting same-sex couples.

He continues: "Over the course of his tenure in elected office, Frank has consistently supported equal rights and he made his decision to publicly back marriage equality after listening to and meeting with" Marriage Equality Rhode Island.

In an interview at the rally, Caprio said he does not see a conflict between his faith and his stance on same-sex marriage because he sees his faith as a private matter.

Caprio and Lynch were among four gubernatorial candidates who attended the rally to voice support for a same-sex marriage bill. The others on hand were former U.S. Senator Lincoln D. Chafee and Todd Giroux, both of whom are running as independents.