Clinton applauds Ireland for gay marriage vote

Hillary Clinton applauded Ireland on Saturday for becoming the first country to legalize same-sex marriage via popular vote.

“Well done, Ireland,” the Democratic presidential front-runner wrote on Twitter.

{mosads}The tweet was signed “-H,” indicating it came directly from Clinton and not from her campaign staff.

Clinton has highlighted same-sex marriage as a key issue early in her 2016 presidential campaign.

Last month, the same Twitter account urged the Supreme Court to rule that U.S. gay couples have the right to marry nationwide in a landmark case challenging state-based bans.

Ahead of oral arguments in the case, the Clinton campaign changed its logo from red, white, and blue to rainbow colors to show her support for gay and lesbian couples.

In Ireland, more than 62 percent of voters backed a measure making same-sex marriage legal, a historic shift for the predominantly Catholic nation.

Clinton’s views on same-sex marriage have changed over time as public support has grown.

Clinton first announced her support for same-sex marriage in 2013. During her run for president in 2008, she backed civil unions for gay and lesbian couples but not full marriage rights.

Her 2013 announcement came ahead of a lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of the Defense of Marriage Act, which her husband, President Bill Clinton, signed into law as president. He later repudiated his support for the measure.