Jimmy LaSalvia, executive director of
gay GOP group GOProud, has defended his group's endorsement of Mitt
Romney for president.
The conservative group endorsed Romney
in a news release on Wednesday.
“Most gay Americans – like their
straight counterparts – are not better off than they were four
years ago,” LaSalvia said in making the announcement. “The truth
is that gay people are living in the disastrous failed Obama economy
too.”
LaSalvia said that two members of its
board voted against endorsing the Republican candidate and added that
the group opposes Romney's support of a federal amendment defining
marriage as a heterosexual union.
Appearing on The Young Turks,
LaSalvia defended the choice.
When host Cenk Uygur told LaSalvia that
the Romney campaign doesn't like gay people, LaSalvia disagreed.
“The truth is Mitt Romney has a long
record of dealing with gay people … and he's demonstrated that he
believes that we are a part of America. We have a disagreement on
marriage …,” LaSalvia said.
“You're part of America, but you're not
part of his campaign,” Uygur interrupted, noting the resignation of
openly gay Ric
Grenell from the Romney campaign.
“Are you telling me there that was
any other reason why Richard Grenell was pushed out of the campaign.
You know it was because he's gay, right?”
“The situation wasn't handled
correctly, without question,” LaSalvia answered before saying he
was backing Romney because “We need jobs.” (The video is
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