LIKE MANY GAY and lesbian Republicans, I’m often asked how I can remain in the GOP. There are many reasons, but the one I talk about first is almost always the same, “Equality will be impossible to achieve without Republican votes.”
Case in point: Massachusetts last week. Our movement achieved one of the greatest and most improbable victories ever in the fight for LGBT equality. Everyone who made this victory possible in the Bay State deserves our lasting gratitude.
A joint session of the state House and Senate rejected a proposed constitutional ban on same-sex marriage by a vote of 45 to 151. Supporters of the amendment needed only 50 votes to get it on the 2008 ballot. Four House Republicans voted “no” and three Senate Republicans voted “no.” Without those seven votes, our side would have lost. Republicans helped provide the margin of victory, showing why a one-party only strategy is the wrong path for the equality movement. We can’t win gay rights victories without votes from both parties.
House Republicans who voted “no” included Minority Leader Bradley Jones and Reps. Brad Hill, Paul Loscocco and Richard Ross. Senate Republicans who voted “no” included Minority Leader Richard Tisei and Senators Michael Knapik and Bruce Tarr. We thank them and the other 144 state lawmakers for their brave stand in defense of basic fairness. History will remember their courage.
IN TOTAL, NINE lawmakers changed their minds from the January vote, many saying they did so after hearing personal stories from their constituents. Rep. Richard Ross (R-Wrentham) had long been supportive of this amendment, but he changed his mind hours before the vote. The Boston Globe reports that Ross did so partly because of a meeting he had with a gay Republican who offered him a challenge: “As director of his family’s funeral home, Ross had surely treated every family the same, no matter what their race, religion or sexual orientation. So why would he do anything else in his other job, as a lawmaker?”
After the vote, here’s what he wrote to his constituents: “Many who placed their trust in me [as a state representative] always asked that I do the right thing. The right thing for me was to examine my heart and be true to myself.”
Thanks to Rep. Ross and all the others who voted against the constitutional amendment, we can celebrate a bi-partisan victory in Massachusetts — and it is a huge victory. Families in the Bay State are stronger, more secure and better because the freedom to marry will go on. Civil marriage equality is here to stay in Massachusetts, planting an anchor for other states to make similar progress.
Log Cabin does not operate under any illusions about where our party is today on gay and lesbian issues. Much work remains, however we are making important progress every single day.
In Wyoming, three Republicans voted against an anti-gay bill in a House committee. It lost by only one vote.
In Illinois, a GOP state lawmaker provided the margin of victory to pass a civil unions bill out of a House committee.
In Congress, nine Republicans changed their vote on the federal hate crimes bill. In total, 25 Republicans voted in favor of the bill.
WE UNDERSTAND THE work that remains in our party, but it is more important than ever to have courageous LGBT Americans working to change the party and educate the GOP about why fairness matters. Rather than abandon the GOP, our fundamental political beliefs and (for many of us) a basic conservative view of government, we choose to stay and do the hard work to make our party — our home — better. If every LGBT American left the Republican Party tomorrow, our movement would not be any closer to achieving equality.
Every day, LGBT Republicans across America talk to their GOP elected officials and tell their stories. As in Massachusetts, it is often these conversations that get Republican lawmakers to take a second look at the issues that so deeply affect the lives of their gay and lesbian constituents.
Gay and lesbian Republicans are an important and proud part of the movement for LGBT rights in America. You may not agree with us on most political issues, but I hope you’ll understand why we’re here — and why we fight. All of us, Democrats and Republicans, are in this fight together.
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teddyp81 on 6/25/076:29 PM:
If the GOP majority only exists on the basis of gay-friendly members, you can force the leadership to make concessions.
In New Hampshire, Republicans were necessary to pass the bill. In Connecticut, a Republican governor signed civil union legislation.
That being said, you should always oppose the anti-gay Republicans. If you vote them out, chances are the Republican who runs the next time will be more gay-friendly.
A lot of this varies by state. Some states' GOP is better than others'.
stephenclark on 6/22/076:17 PM:
When Dems took contol of both houses in Ore., Iowa, Wash., and N.H., major, GOP-blocked gay-rights bills passed in '07. Removing the GOP gov. in Colo. allowed the same thing there. Dems taking one house in Ind. stopped a marriage amend. The GOP gov. in Cal. is blocking marriage; the GOP gov. in Minn. is blocking DP rights. No, it's not a perfect correlation. But Dem control is usu. better for gay rights. So support good indiv. Repubs., but be wary of giving the GOP a veto or agenda control.
dlampo on 6/22/074:55 PM:
To answer Mr. Clark: Sometimes, pro-gay bills do get considered and even passed with Republican control. In Virginia, under the Republican-controlled legislature, two pro-gay bills have passed in the last two years, and others have a good shot next year. When the Virginia Dems controlled the legislature, not one pro-gay bill was passed, only the state DOMA. Republicans don't always kill good bills, believe it or not, and Democrats aren't always much better on our issues.
stephenclark on 6/22/073:44 PM:
I agree as far as this piece goes, but it omits the most critical issue. No matter how gay-supportive an individual GOP candidate may be, when he votes to put the GOP in control of the leg. chamber and agenda, he is ensuring that pro-gay bills will rarely get a vote. Gay marriage is DOA in the NY senate because the 2-vote GOP majority gives the GOP complete agenda control. While supporting some Repubs, shouldn't we be careful not to help the GOP get control of legis. chamber & kill our bills?
