A.J. Spiker, the head of the Iowa
Republican Party, has described the Democratic Party as the “gay
marriage party.”
Spiker made his remarks during an
appearance on Iowa Public Television's Iowa Press. Also on
the program was Tyler Olson, the chair of the Iowa Democratic Party.
“Mr. Spiker, there is a group of
Republicans who are meeting with the goal of eventually getting the
GOP to accept same-sex marriage or at least not make it a central
point of any campaign. What are your thoughts on that effort?”
the moderator asked, a reference to the group Iowa
Republicans for Freedom.
“Well, the party wants to be
welcoming and we're a big tent and we want to have people of a lot of
different views that are part of the party,” Spiker
answered. “But what they also need to understand is that there
is a gay marriage party in the state of Iowa and that is the Iowa
Democratic Party. The Republican Party embraces one man, one woman
marriage and embraces the right of the people to vote on the
definition of marriage.”
When asked if Republicans who favor
marriage equality should leave the party, Spiker said no.