Gay GOP group Log Cabin Republicans on
Tuesday announced a “qualified” endorsement of Mitt Romney for
president.
“The qualified nature of this
endorsement means that Log Cabin Republicans will be most active in
our support for House and Senate candidates,” the group said in a
statement. “While many of our members will also be working hard on
behalf of Governor Romney, growing the pro-equality Republican
presence in the House and Senate is our highest electoral priority
this year.”
The group's executive director, R.
Clarke Cooper, explained that as Republicans they agree with
“Romney's vision for America in which success is a virtue, equal
opportunity is ensured, and leaders recognize that it is the American
people, not government, that build our nation and fuel its
prosperity.”
Stonewall Democrats, a group of gay
Democrats, called the endorsement “madness,” criticizing the move
in an e-mail to supporters.
“With this endorsement of Mitt Romney
today, the Log Cabin Republicans have proven once and for all that
they are not an organization aligned with the LGBT movement,” said
Jerame Davis, the group's executive director. “They are a
Republican front group bumbling their way into fooling LGBT voters
that it's OK to support a party that would legislate us back into the
closet.”
Calling the endorsement “shameful,”
he added: “Mitt Romney stands for nothing positive for LGBT people.
He supports a federal marriage amendment (which was a reason for Log
Cabin to refuse to endorse George W. Bush in 2004). He supports
McCarthy-like investigations into our community for evidence of
'harassment of Christians.' He opposes the repeal of DOMA. He
opposes ENDA. He's even said things as basic as the right to visit
your sick or dying loved one in the hospital is a 'privilege' and not
a right.”
(Related: Mitt
Romney retracts disavowing support for federal gay marriage ban.)