A former Republican presidential candidate says the issue of homosexual marriage could save the GOP again on Election Day like it did in 2004.
Following the Supreme Court's decision striking down the Texas sodomy law in 2003, and a ruling by the Massachusetts Supreme Court legalizing homosexual marriage, conservative activists worked to implement state marriage protection amendments. In a recent column for Politico.com, Gary Bauer says the marriage amendments helped get President Bush and other conservative candidates elected and drove to the polls many voters who otherwise might have stayed home. He contends the legalization of homosexual marriage in California may oddly be a blessing in disguise for Republicans. "There could be great benefit to conservative candidates if they've got the courage and the energy to stand up against the popular culture and the radical gay rights movement and make the case for normal marriage," he says. "[B]ecause the evidence is overwhelming that the American people do not want the definition of marriage to be changed." Bauer notes that a "little-discussed" academic paper titled "Did Gay Marriage Elect George W. Bush?" concluded that "gay marriage may very well have put Bush over the top" in 2004 in the key battleground state of Ohio. Ignoring homosexual marriage, says Bauer, would be "incredibly destructive" for the Republican Party. "In fact, the evidence is very clear that defending marriage as the union of one man and one woman is a much more politically popular position to take than some of the other things on the Republican agenda that I happen to support but which, in some cases, the American people are very divided over...," adds Bauer. On the issue of homosexual marriage, Bauer says the people are not divided.
Following the Supreme Court's decision striking down the Texas sodomy law in 2003, and a ruling by the Massachusetts Supreme Court legalizing homosexual marriage, conservative activists worked to implement state marriage protection amendments.
In a recent column for Politico.com, Gary Bauer says the marriage amendments helped get President Bush and other conservative candidates elected and drove to the polls many voters who otherwise might have stayed home. He contends the legalization of homosexual marriage in California may oddly be a blessing in disguise for Republicans. "There could be great benefit to conservative candidates if they've got the courage and the energy to stand up against the popular culture and the radical gay rights movement and make the case for normal marriage," he says. "[B]ecause the evidence is overwhelming that the American people do not want the definition of marriage to be changed." Bauer notes that a "little-discussed" academic paper titled "Did Gay Marriage Elect George W. Bush?" concluded that "gay marriage may very well have put Bush over the top" in 2004 in the key battleground state of Ohio. Ignoring homosexual marriage, says Bauer, would be "incredibly destructive" for the Republican Party. "In fact, the evidence is very clear that defending marriage as the union of one man and one woman is a much more politically popular position to take than some of the other things on the Republican agenda that I happen to support but which, in some cases, the American people are very divided over...," adds Bauer.
On the issue of homosexual marriage, Bauer says the people are not divided.
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