The GOP and Gay Marriage: Let's Get it Straight

Maine leaped to the right side of history today with the passage of a gay-marriage bill through legislative channels. I'm impressed with the momentum of the LGBT movement post-Iowa, and it looks likely that advocates will reach their goal of marriage equality throughout New England by 2012.

What's overblown is all this talk, from Meghan McCain to Jon Huntsman, of the Republican Party "embracing" gay marriage. Not taken into account is what is sure to be a brutal 2012 primary decided largely by Iowa, New Hampshire and South Carolina. In a recent poll, only 3 percent of Iowa Republicans found candidates who favored gay marriage appealing. And does anyone seriously think Huntsman has a shot at the GOP nomination? Republican primary voters in early 2012 states are too conservative for him, and he's the governor of Utah!

More likely than the GOP endorsing gay marriage is that 2012 candidates will be racing to support "traditional families" the most. (Huckabee may get super-duper-married, instead of just super-married.) It's gonna get really ugly, further regionalizing the party and peeling away young voters.

Lead by the Huckabees, Palins and Gingriches of the party, opposing gay marriage will be a cornerstone of the 2012 Republican candidates. We haven't heard the worst yet.

Originally posted on The Hill's Pundit Blog.

Visit ryanjdavis.blogspot.com, and follow Ryan on Twitter.

Comments

[FlexSF]

There is an exception to the rules for them. They're raging to impose their religion, through law, into our private lives. They've become constipated over the fact that there are happy, healthy, gay people getting married, and living an honest life, equally under the law.

[Jonny38103]

And all the while we have groups like the Log Cabin Republicans who continue to align themselves with a party that will always disrespect them. I've heard of homosexual self-hatred, the LCRs seem to demonstrate that trait better than imaginable. I'd love to hear a shrink address this this mindset.

[Aaror]

Cool!
As the nation moves more and more towards accepting Gay Marriage (my generation and younger tend to support, we get more voters every year, boomers and older tend to oppose, and more of their voters die every year), the Republican party can be more "pure," about it and drive off more voters.
Wanna bet we can't top a 36% spread?
I can hear the headlines now, "Obama won re-election, with a 30% margin among voters under 30."

[BassMonk]

I wish someone could explain why self-described 'conservatives' cling to such liberal views when it comes to social matters. A true conservative would champion individual rights, not government limitation.

[violettefemme]

Thanks for saying it so well...I wonder the same, and it's always sexual/intimate issues they love to legislate and limit. Interesting.