South Carolina Senator Jim DeMint and
Ohio Representative Jim Jordan have joined at least three groups
boycotting a conservative convention because of the inclusion of a
group of gay Republicans.
DeMint is the highest-ranking elected
official to join socially
conservative groups in boycotting next month's annual Conservative
Political Action Conference (CPAC) convention because of gay GOP
group GOProud's inclusion.
“With leading conservative
organizations not participating this year, Sen. DeMint will not be
attending. He hopes to attend a unified CPAC next year,” DeMint
spokesman Wesley Denton announced on Wednesday.
Jordan backed out of the event two
weeks ago.
“Congressman Jordan believes that, in
addition to low taxes and less spending, conservatives must advocate
for traditional family values like life and marriage,” Jordan
spokeswoman Meghan Snyder told Cleveland daily The Plain Dealer.
“Family is the cornerstone upon which a community, state or nation
is built, and conservatives must lead the way in promoting the
strengths of the traditional family whenever we can.”
Jordan, a Republican who chairs the
U.S. House of Representatives' conservative Republican Study
Committee, was among the 39 Republican lawmakers who filed an amicus
brief in support of gay marriage opponents challenging the District
of Columbia's gay marriage law. In 2009, he introduced legislation
in Congress that would have blocked the start of the law.
DeMint created controversy in October
when he told
a group of conservatives that schools should reject gay and lesbian
teachers.