Barney Frank engaged to Jim Ready
Barney Frank, a longtime Massachusetts congressman, is engaged to marry his boyfriend Jim Ready, the congressman's office confirmed on Thursday to CBS News.
The couple will tie the knot in a Massachusetts ceremony at a time yet to be determined. Massachusetts became the first U.S. state to legalize same-sex marriage in 2004.
Ready, 42, is a small business owner and photographer. The couple has been together since 2007.
Frank, 71, announced late last year that he will not run for re-election to Congress, where he has been serving Massachusetts' 4th district since 1981.
A liberal voice in Washington and staunch gay rights advocate, the candidate has cited Republican presidential candidate Newt Gingrich as the "ideal opponent"for advancing the cause of same-sex marriage.
The thrice-married Gingrich, he said, is "an ideal opponent for us when we talk about just who it is threatening the sanctity of marriage."
