Brownback: GOP has room for gay rights backers

WEST DES MOINES, IOWA — Kansas Sen. Sam Brownback, among the most conservative of the potential Republican presidential candidates, said Tuesday there’s room in the GOP for candidates who favor gay rights, but he warned that such politicians wouldn’t be welcomed by the party’s conservative base.

“It’s a big-tent party and has been for a long period of time, particularly since Ronald Reagan talked about this being a party of different viewpoints,” said Brownback. “If somebody agrees with you 80 percent of the time, he’s not your enemy.”

Brownback, in the midst of another visit to Iowa, was asked about criticism that Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney was getting from conservatives over his writings years ago that suggested he backed gay rights.

While there’s room in the party for such candidates, they will face a tough sell with conservatives focused on social and religious issues, said Brownback, who hopes to base his bid for the GOP nomination on such voters.

http://www2.ljworld.com/news/2006/dec/13/brownback_gop_has_room_gay_rights_backers/

they want them IN the furnace...

that the parties "conservative base" wouldn't welcome them. Since the conservative base makes up the bulk of the modern Republican party it seems to me that they wouldn't be welcome--period. Some big tent.

There's room for pro gay-rights candidates, but they'd be rejected by a majority of party donors, activists and volunteers.

Yeah, OK. Super.

:shrug:
Brownback?

What happen? Is he series?

nt