California State Sen. Roy Ashburn, the Bakersfield Republican who was arrested in Sacramento last week on suspicion of drunk driving, came out in a radio interview Monday.

"I am gay. And so, those are the words that have been so difficult for me for so long. It is something that is personal, and I don't believe I felt with my heart that being gay would affect how I do my job," Ashburn told radio host Inga Banks on her show on the KERN station in Bakersfield.

The SF Gate reports that the conservative lawmaker came out saying he felt compelled to address the rumors that he had visited a gay nightclub near Sacramento before his DUI arrest just after 2 a.m. on March 3.

The 55-year-old father of four says he crossed the line and broke the law, putting people at risk and therefore owed the public an explanation.

Since he was first elected to the state Assembly in 1996, Ashburn has consistently voted against gay and lesbian rights. He has said those votes reflect how his district wanted him to vote, saying, "I felt my duty, and I still feel this way, is to represent my constituents."

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