Fred Karger, the gay marriage activist exploring the possibility of running for president as a Republican, says Sarah Palin or Gary Johnson could support gay marriage.

In an appearance on ABC News' Topline, Richard Socarides, president of Equality Matters, stunned his hosts when he said that he believed a 2012 Republican nominee for president would come out in support of gay marriage.

“We may even have a Republican candidate for president this next time who supports gay marriage,” Socarides said.

In a brief telephone interview with On Top Magazine on Friday, Karger, who was once again campaigning in New Hampshire, speculated on the possibility. He said Alaska Governor Sarah Palin or former New Mexico Governor Gary E. Johnson would be his best guesses.

“Maybe Sarah Palin,” Karger kicked around. “She could surprise a lot of people. She's been kind of slowly coming around.”

Palin did surprise social conservatives recently when she said she was okay with gay GOP group GOProud's presence at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) convention held earlier this month.

Karger, 61, added that Johnson was kind enough to let him use his booth at CPAC after organizers refused him one.

Johnson is “just as cool as they come,” Karger said.