CPAC Still Won't Let GOProud Play With The Right Wing Big Boys

Should the gay conservative group GOProud stop trying to attend the Conservative Political Action Conference, or does their continued rejection from the annual right wing event, and executive director Jimmy LaSalvia's promotion of this rejection, help their cause?

Or do these dust-ups end up hurting their cause, serving as yet another reminder to voters that the Republican base still rejects LGBT people as a whole, even their fellow conservatives?

(Via Joe.My.God.)

Gay Conservative Group GOProud Comes Out for Marriage Equality

Gay conservative group GOProud has never officially backed marriage equality, until today.

Chris Geidner reports:

"We support same-sex marriage, civil marriage," GOProud executive director Jimmy LaSalvia said.

The move follows a decision by the GOProud board earlier this month to expand the group's mission to include state-level work. It also comes after, LaSalvia noted, the re-election of a president who supports same-sex couples' marriage rights, while some in the Republican Party are urging their party to reassess their position on the issue.

Since its founding in 2009, GOProud has always opposed the federal Defense of Marriage Act, calling the law a "federal power grab," but it avoided the underlying issue of marriage rights. In the course of a 285-word statement provided to BuzzFeed on "marriage and relationship recognition" being released publicly Friday, though, the group declares, "Where civil marriage is possible, we support civil marriage."

GOProud's Jimmy LaSalvia told Geidner that the group will be forming individual efforts in the states, and that is why they've decided to weigh in on the issue:

The group, which he said had nearly a $350,000 budget in 2012 that came from about 500 donors, is starting off by supporting the marriage equality bills in Illinois, Minnesota and Rhode Island. Asked about the bills, LaSalvia said the group support them, noting, "Where it is being considered and where it is possible, we support it and we're going to be there."

Here's the group's statement:

Since our founding, GOProud has worked exclusively on federal issues. Because marriage has been a state issue since the founding of our country, we have had no official position on marriage or relationship recognition. We have supported, and continue to support, the repeal of DOMA, and we oppose any effort to federalize marriage though a constitutional amendment. Now that GOProud's Board of Directors has voted to begin work on the state and local level, we believe it is important to lay out our principles when it comes to marriage and relationship recognition.

GOProud believes that stable, loving, committed relationships are the cornerstone of our society and should be protected and encouraged for all couples - including gay and lesbian couples. We believe that the decision about how to best do this is one that should be made at the state level and that these decisions are best made by the people directly or through their elected representatives - not by unelected judges.

Where civil marriage is possible, we support civil marriage. Where civil unions are possible, we support civil unions. Where domestic partner benefits are possible, we support domestic partner benefits. As federalists, we do not believe in a one-size-fits-all approach on almost any issue and that includes relationship recognition for gay couples.

We are firmly committed to winning hearts and minds, which is why we understand that not everyone who doesn't support marriage for gay couples is automatically a bigot or homophobe. We understand that there are people of deep faith who may have religious objections to marriage. We respect those differences and believe that no church or religious institution should ever be force to solemnize a marriage that is against its teachings.

As you may recall, during the last election cycle LaSalvia called gay marriage a "distraction" issue as he made the media rounds pumping the group's support for Mitt Romney.

GOProud Co-Founder Jimmy LaSalvia Suddenly Thinks Gay Marriage is an Important Republican Issue: VIDEO

GOProud co-founder Jimmy LaSalvia, who has called same-sex marriage a "distraction" issue while trumpeting his group's allegiance to Mitt Romney, suddenly thinks it's a Republican issue.

Said LaSalvia to the WSJ in a post-election interview about marriage:

“Singer Kelly Clarkson, a single woman who was asked while she was on her tour who she was voting for. She said well I'm a Republican at heart but I'll probably vote for Obama because I have a lot of gay friends. And so I think that [marriage equality] is an issue that everyone is considering. And especially because everyone has gay friends and family."

Watch, AFTER THE JUMP...

GOProud Co-Founder Jimmy LaSalvia Pumps Gay Republican Support for Romney on 'FOX and Friends': VIDEO

Jimmy LaSalvia, co-founder of gay conservative group GOProud sat down with Gretchen Carlson on FOX & Friends this morning to talk about his lack of surprise that no questions about LGBT rights were discussed at last night's debate and pump up gay Republican support for Mitt Romney.

Watch, AFTER THE JUMP...

GOProud's LaSalvia Says Romney Will Bring Gays Jobs, Dates: VIDEO

It's clear by now that marriage equality is not high on GOProud leader Jimmy LaSalvia's list of political priorities. LaSalvia said in Junes that liberals and Democrats talk about the issue because it's a welcome "distraction" from more bread and butter concerns.

CNN's Piers Morgan wanted more explanation, though, and asked LaSalvia, "How can you really support a ticket which is so resolutely opposed not just to gay marriage but to most gay rights?: In response, LaSalvia offered this:

Here's the deal… The answer is you gotta have a date before you get married. Everyone knows you can't get a date without a job. … Gay Americans are living in the Obama economy and that's the reality that all voters are facing when they go into the voting booth.

Odd, I know unemployed people who go on dates. They're not fancy dates, but they are dates.

Watch video of LaSalvia's remarks AFTER THE JUMP.

GOProud Leader Says Liberals Talk About Gay Marriage To 'Distract' From Economy: VIDEO

Jimmy LaSalvia tried last night to explain why he and his allies in GOProud, a gay conservative group, endorsed anti-gay marriage Mitt Romney.

"[Romney] has [in the past] demonstrated that he believes we're a part of America" and the marriage debate is simply a distraction, LaSalvia told The Young Turks host Cenk Uygur.

"I know that you want to talk about this issue and the president wants to talk about this issue because the president's record on jobs and the economy and the debt crisis is indefensible," he said. "And I know that's why all the liberals in Washington and across the country want to talk about issues like gay marriage and contraception and everything else to divert attention from the issues that are facing us all."

Later, while discussing gay foreign policy advisor Richard Grenell leaving Romney's campaign after a conservative firestorm, Uygur declares, "[The Republicans] don't like you, Jimmy; they hate you!"

Watch Uygur and LaSalvia hash it out AFTER THE JUMP.