RI Log Cabin Republican Caucus Steps Back Into Local Politics
Thursday, April 29, 2010
After several years of radio silence, the Rhode Island Caucus of the Log Cabin Republicans threw a party at an East Side bar and restaurant, and got nearly every major GOP candidate to show up and be counted.
Last night at Twist on Angell, local Log Cabin Caucus chairman Raymond Beltran made his public debut as the fresh face of the historic organization founded in the 1970s to unite Republican gay and lesbians around political activism within a party traditionally painted, nationally, as anti-gay. "We're gay, we're lesbians, and we're tax-paying citizens," Beltran said. "We represent a future constituency of the party." Clearly, the party agreed: lined up to address Log Cabin board members, plus a phalanx of Young Republican leadership along with a few Tea Party activists, were candidates for Governor, Mayor of the City of Providence, plus Congressional Candidates. Off the platform, more candidates for state legislature worked the crowd.
Short statements from every candidate, from gubernatorial aspirant John Robitaille to Second Congressional District players Bill Clegg and Mark Zaccaria stayed away from traditional gay and lesbian social issues such as marriage equality, and remained on traditional party themes of taxation, govermental interference, and the RI GOP reminder that the State legislature is overwhelmingly Democratic. "The Democrats just talk and talk and talk," said Beltran. "I get to vote for a candidate who believes in individual liberty, who doesn't care what I do in my bedroom, and let's me keep my money? I'm for that!"
GET THE LATEST BREAKING NEWS HERE -- SIGN UP FOR GOLOCAL FREE DAILY EBLASTBeltran reminded questioners that Rhode Island's GOP stances may differ from national, less inclusional stances on gays and lesbians. "In Rhode Island, we have two openly gay politicians in public office," he said. "The success of these two men really highlights how Rhode Island is a tolerant place. Now, we'll see if the Democratic Party is a party of tolerance."
