Gay Republican Group Won't Endorse Bush

[estranged4life]

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Leaders of the largest group for gay men and lesbians in the Republican Party voted overwhelmingly against endorsing President Bush for re-election because he favors a constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriage, The New York Times said on Wednesday.


The board of the Log Cabin Republicans voted 22-2 on Tuesday night against endorsing Bush, the newspaper said, citing a spokesman for the group.


Log Cabin in 2000 endorsed Bush against Democrat Al Gore, and in 1996 endorsed Republican Bob Dole against incumbent Democrat Bill Clinton.


The group in February criticized Bush for supporting the amendment. "Writing discrimination into our Constitution violates conservative and Republican principles," Executive Director Patrick Guerriero said at the time. "This amendment would not strengthen marriage -- it would weaken our nation."


A call to the group was not immediately returned.
Log Cabin last month supported statements by Vice President Dick Cheney, who has a lesbian daughter, that an amendment banning same-sex marriages is unnecessary.


Cheney said he believes individual U.S. states should decide whether to sanction such marriages, but accepted Bush's decision to pursue a ban as administration policy.


The group has also criticized what it calls "flip-flops" by John Kerry, the Democratic presidential nominee, for statements that he opposes same-sex marriages but also opposes amending the Constitution to ban it.


Log Cabin, however, has supported Republican positions on what it has called "issues that bring us together: lower taxes, strong national defense, personal responsibility and a commitment to individual liberty."


About 1 million gay men and lesbians voted for Bush in 2000, Log Cabin has said.