[View the story "The Republican Party and same-sex marriage" on Storify ]The Republican Party and same-sex marriage Is the GOP shifting its stance on gay marriage%3F Storified by AJAMStream · Wed, Oct 30 2013 09:52:30
After the Republican Party lost the 2012 presidential election, many wondered how the party would evolve to appeal to more moderate voters - and whether it would change its stance on gay marriage.
The Republican National Committee (RNC) launched the
Growth and Opportunity Project , which emphasized the need for inclusiveness in the party. Below, RNC chairman Reince Priebus discusses the project's report.
RNC Growth And Opportunity Project Report: Voters See GOP As 'Scary,' 'Narrow Minded'opensourses
Some believe the party will have to shift to reflect a national trend toward acceptance of gay marriage.
gallup.com
New Jersey Governor Chris Christie has been touted by some as a model for Republicans seeking to soften the party position on same-sex marriage. He has struck a moderate tone on gay rights, and recently
dropped his appeal against the law allowing gay marriage in New Jersey.
Below, Christie explains that his views on homosexuality diverge from his church's position.
Gov. Chris Christie On Same-Sex Marriagesuchislifevideos
While no Republican potential presidential candidates have embraced legalizing same-sex marriage, there are
a few who have broken from the party line.
Senator Rob Portman of Ohio
changed his position on same-sex marriage after his son came out as gay. Below is an excerpt of Will Portman's
article discussing his sexuality and his father's acceptance of him:
I came to Yale as a freshman in the fall of 2010 with two big uncertainties hanging over my head: whether my dad would get elected to the Senate in November, and whether I’d ever work up the courage to come out of the closet.yaledailynews.com
State Representative Maureen Walsh of Washington also
reversed her position, and in the speech below expresses her desire to one day hold a wedding for her gay daughter.
Pro-Gay Marriage Speech by Maureen Walsh, Washington State Representativedeeplisteningtherapy
Others have left the party over its stance toward the LGBT community. A San Antonio judge
made headlines when he announced that he would switch parties in his reelection bid video, see below, based on hateful anti-gay comments made by other Republicans in the state.
Re-Elect Judge Carlo KeydzX0fNob3PvLaTZ_SR9ejA
Several conservative groups, including
GOProud and
Log Cabin Republicans , have sought to create a section of the Republican party that is welcoming of the LGBT community.
When CPAC, the Conservative Political Action Conference, would not allow GOProud to participate in its conference, two political television personalities boycotted the event:
S.E. Cupp Withdraws from CPAC Over Same-Sex Marriage, GOProudnrovideos
Clown Show: MSNBC's Chris Hayes To Speak at CPAC%3Fpoliticalarticles
Yet according to a
July poll , only 34% of Republicans support the legal recognition of same-sex marriage, a significantly lower percentage than the general population (
52% of which support legalization).
Voters who are leaving the GOP are leaving for other reasons, shown in the following infographic.
thefrontierlab.org
So does the Republican Party have an incentive to moderate its stance on gay marriage? And if so, will it?
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