Sen. Ted Cruz signaled Friday he’s content with allowing states to decide how to define marriage, a careful distinction that aligns him with Sen. Rand Paul but could unsettle conservatives who wish for a federal amendment to address the issue.

“I support marriage between one man and one woman. But I also think it’s a question for the states,” Cruz told Jay Leno on Friday’s broadcast of The Tonight Show.  ”Some states have made decisions one way on gay marriage. Some states have made decisions the other way. And that’s the great thing about our Constitution, is different states can make different decisions depending on the values of their citizens.”

Paul has maintained a similar position. He personally believes marriage is between two people from the opposite sex, but thinks states should be the ultimate arbiters.

“If we say we believe in a federally mandated one man, one woman marriage, we’re going to lose that battle,” Paul said in April.

New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie also supports traditional marriage but said he would be ok with voters in his state passing a referendum allowing same-sex weddings.

Conservative activists like Bob Vander Plaats have framed the fight over marriage as one that can only be resolved on the federal level and earlier this year critiqued Paul and Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker for a lack of clarity on their positions.

Cruz’s statement puts him squarely in the camp with the majority of his potential 2016 GOP rivals.

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