WASHINGTON (ABP) — The nation's largest group for Republicans supportive of gay rights has overwhelmingly declined to repeat something it did in 2000 — endorse President Bush's campaign.
National directors of Log Cabin Republicans voted 22-2 on Sept. 7 to decline re-endorsement of Bush. The move marks the first time since the group began endorsing presidential candidates that it has failed to endorse a Republican.
Log Cabin leaders, in a statement released shortly after the evening vote, cited Bush's support of a proposed constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriage as a reason for the non-endorsement.
“There is a battle for the heart and soul of the Republican Party, and that fight is bigger than one platform, one convention, or even one president,” said Patrick Guerriero, the group's executive director. “Certain moments in history require that a belief in fairness and equality not be sacrificed in the name of partisan politics.”
Bush met with Log Cabin leaders and other gay Republicans in 2000 during his first presidential campaign. As a result, the group endorsed him. It also applauded many of Bush's early actions in office, including maintaining benefits for the same-sex partners of federal employees and appointing several openly gay people to high-level administration posts.
However, Bush's relationship with gay Republicans soured after he announced his support for the Federal Marriage Amendment in February. The amendment died in the Senate on a procedural vote in July — with several Republicans voting against it. It is scheduled to come up for a vote in the House this month.
Chris Barron, Log Cabin's political director, said it was “impossible to overstate the depth of anger and disappointment caused by the president's support for an anti-family constitutional amendment.” He said the amendment would not only ban same-sex marriage nationwide, but would also threaten other legal arrangements enacted by states and municipalities — such as civil unions or domestic partnerships — that provide same-sex couples with some of the same benefits as marriage.
Sponsors of the amendment have said it would not prevent legislators from creating such legal arrangements, but many mainstream legal experts said the amendment's wording, as currently drafted, could have that effect.
“For six months, the President has made it clear what he opposes. He opposes civil marriage equality; however he has failed to articulate clearly what he supports,” Barron said. “Does he support federal civil unions? Does he support domestic partnerships? Does he support tax fairness for gay and lesbian couples? Does he support employment non-discrimination? Does he support hate crimes legislation? Does he support allowing gay and lesbian service members to serve openly and honestly?”
Sharon Castillo, a spokesperson for the Bush-Cheney campaign, deferred to White House officials on answering most of those questions. She did say that, regarding legalizing civil unions, “I think that the president has also been clear that that is something that should be left to the states.”
She also said, “We know this is going to be a close election, we believe that every single vote counts, and we're working really hard to reach out with every American.”
Nonetheless, Castillo added, “The president has been very clear that the government should respect every person, but at the same time that it should also protect the institution of marriage, and that there should be no contradiction — that there is no contradiction between those two responsibilities.”
Log Cabin will not endorse Kerry. At an Aug. 30 press conference during the Republican National Convention in New York, Guerriero said the organization's rules would not allow them to endorse non-GOP candidates.
Indeed, Log Cabin's statement criticized Kerry for what it described as his “flip-flops” on gay and lesbian issues, such as same-sex marriage. Kerry has said he opposes legalizing gay marriage, but also opposes amending the Constitution to ban such unions.
The statement also praised Bush's positions on defense issues and taxes.
Log Cabin's board chairman, William Brownson, said the group would shift its “financial and political resources to defeating the radical right and supporting inclusive Republican candidates for the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives.”
The statement also said the organization would still endorse “more than 50 GOP candidates” for House and Senate seats.
Experts, estimating from exit polls, have said that nearly 25 percent of self-identified gays and lesbians voted for Bush during the 2000 presidential election. That accounted for about 1 million Bush votes — including about 45,000 in the crucial state of Florida, which Bush won by only about 500 votes in 2000.
But Bush spokesperson Castillo said she believed Bush was not writing off gay voters. “We think that, on the most important issues facing our country…the president has a strong record and that there's a clear choice. We hope that, based on the president's record on those issues, all Republicans from all walks of life would vote for the president,” she said.
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