The Log Cabin Republicans continue to grow as more on the right accept gay rights and equality, including marriage. While some conservatives have spurned the group, it continues to push its mission and values as the party seeks more diversity and faces a changing demographic.
Here are five facts about the Log Cabin Republicans.
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1. Founding
The group was founded in 1977 and earned its first stripes in 1978 with the defeat of the Briggs Initiative, a ballot measure designed to bar gays and lesbians from teaching in public schools,
according to Ballotpedia. It received deep support from Ronald Reagan.
2. Chapters
The group has thousands of members in state and local chapters nationwide,
its website notes.
3. Inclusive
The group supports party values of individual rights, personal responsibility, limited government, low taxes and a strong national defense. It seeks support from across the aisle and works to make the GOP more inclusive. It notes on its website: "We believe equality for LGBT Americans is in the finest tradition of the Republican Party. We educate our Party about why inclusion wins. Opposing gay and lesbian equality is inconsistent with the GOP’s core principles of smaller government and personal freedom."
4. “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell”
The group filed a lawsuit against the military's "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy that kept openly gay men and women from military service. It argued that the policy violated gay members of the military's rights to free speech, due process and open association. A court ruled in the group's favor, but the issue was rendered moot when the policy was repealed. Its engagement on the issue, however, energized its appeal,
The New York Times noted.
5. Leadership
The group's current chairman, elected in January 2015, is Jamie Ensley, a native of Atlanta, Georgia.
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