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==History== Log Cabin Republicans was formed in 1977 in California as a rallying point for Republicans opposed to the [[Briggs Initiative]], which attempted to ban homosexuals from teaching in public schools, and proposed legislation authorized the firing of those teachers who publicly "supported" [[homosexuality]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://spectator.org/articles/42050/reagan-and-milk |title=Reagan and Milk |work=The American Spectator |date=2009-02-26 |access-date=2014-10-22 |archive-date=2016-04-05 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160405154652/http://spectator.org/articles/42050/reagan-and-milk |url-status=dead }}</ref> While mounting his imminent presidential campaign, [[Ronald Reagan]] publicly expressed his opposition to the discriminatory policy. Reagan's condemnation of the bill—epitomized in a letter sent to a pro-Briggs group, excerpts of which were re-printed in the ''[[San Francisco Chronicle]]'' in 1978—played an influential role in the eventual defeat of the Briggs Initiative.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.reaganclubs.us/OurHero/ |title=Our Hero |publisher=The Ronald Reagan Assemblies of Florida |access-date=2013-07-30 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130508163632/http://www.reaganclubs.us/OurHero/ |archive-date=2013-05-08 |url-status=dead }}</ref> In the midst of this victory, gay conservatives in California created the Log Cabin Republicans. The group initially proposed to name themselves Lincoln Club, but found that name was already in use by the Lincoln Club of Orange County, another California Republican organization, so the name Log Cabin Republicans was chosen as an alternative title. This designation calls attention to the first Republican president, Abraham Lincoln. The Log Cabin Republicans suggest that Lincoln founded the Republican Party on the philosophies of liberty and equality. These principles, Log Cabin argues, are consistent with their platform of an inclusive Republican Party.<ref name="history">{{cite web |url=http://www.logcabin.org/about-us/our-history/ |title=Our History |publisher=Log Cabin Republicans |access-date=2013-07-30}}</ref> ===1992 presidential election=== The 1992 Log Cabin Republican convention was held in [[Spring, Texas]], a [[Houston, Texas|Houston]] exurb. The main point of discussion was whether or not LCR would endorse the re-election of President [[George H. W. Bush]]. The group voted to deny that endorsement because Bush did not denounce anti-gay rhetoric at the [[1992 Republican National Convention]].<ref name="trib">{{cite news |url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/2004/04/19/gays-long-loyal-to-gop-agonize-over-supporting-bush/ |title=Gays long loyal to GOP agonize over supporting Bush |date=April 19, 2004 |first=Lisa |last=Anderson |work=[[Chicago Tribune]]}}</ref> ===1996 presidential election=== In August 1995, the campaign of Republican presidential candidate, [[Bob Dole]], returned the LCR's $1,000 campaign contribution.<ref>Barron, C. (2004). "A Big Question for Republicans", ''Gay & Lesbian Review Worldwide'', Vol. 11. pp. 27–29.</ref> The campaign returned the contribution after the openly lesbian columnist, Deb Price, of the ''Detroit News'', asked about it after she saw it on a public report from the [[Federal Election Commission]]. The campaign sent a written statement to Price saying that Dole was in "100% disagreement with the agenda of the Log Cabin Republicans."<ref name="tafelbk">Tafel, pp. 167–168.</ref> The finance office of the campaign had solicited the contribution from LCR. At the event where it was given, Dole had personally spoken with LCR's then-executive director, Rich Tafel, about the group and about AIDS legislation it was promoting in the Senate. Weeks earlier, Dole agreed to co-sponsor the legislation after a meeting with Tafel at the campaign's headquarters.<ref>Tafel, pp. 164–166</ref> It resulted in a front-page story in ''[[The New York Times]]'', penned by Richard L. Berke, then-chief political reporter for the daily.<ref name="wwdd"/> As reporters, including Berke, were seeking confirmation of the story before it broke, Dole's finance chairman, John Moran, asked Tafel not to speak to the press and that Tafel's "steadfastness and statesmanship at this moment will be handsomely appreciated in the long run by the campaign." Tafel refused.<ref>Tafel, p. 168.</ref> Pundits accused Dole of being a "flip-flopper and a hypocrite."<ref name="frrch">[https://archive.today/20130111075008/http://select.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=F6061EFF3C5F0C728EDDA90994DD494D81&n=Top/Opinion/Editorials+and+Op-Ed/Op-Ed/Columnists/Frank+Rich Rich, Frank "The Log Cabin Lesson"]. ''The New York Times'', October 21, 1995. Retrieved January 29, 2007.</ref> Editorials ran in major newspapers, including ''The Washington Post'', ''The New York Times'', ''The Boston Globe'', the ''Atlanta Journal-Constitution'', and ''The Times'' of London, condemning Dole's action, joined by radio commentators [[Rush Limbaugh]] and [[Don Imus]].<ref>Tafel, pp. 169–170.</ref><ref name="wwdd">Woodward, p. 251.</ref> Under the pressure, Dole admitted during an October 1995 press briefing on Capitol Hill that he regretted the decision to return the check, and that his campaign was responsible for it without consulting him.<ref>Tafel, p. 171.</ref> "I think if they'd have consulted me, we wouldn't have done that, wouldn't have returned it," Dole said.<ref>Woodward, p. 284.</ref> Dole later told ''Washington Post'' editor and author [[Bob Woodward]] that the LCR episode was a "mistake" because the decision to return the check "gets into Bob Dole the person. It's not so much about Bob Dole the candidate. It's the person. Is he tolerant? Does he tolerate different views? Tolerate someone with a different lifestyle?" He added, "This is basic, this is what people ought to know about you. Are you going to just do this because it sounds good politically?"<ref>Woodward, p. 286.</ref> LCR's leadership met with Dole's coalitions manager to discuss an endorsement after Dole's reversal.<ref>Tafel, p. 172.</ref> Among various items, Tafel demanded there be no gay bashing in the speeches from the podium of the [[1996 Republican National Convention]], nor any anti-homosexual signs on the convention floor. He also wanted to see a gay person address the convention and a public request from Dole's campaign for the LCR nod.<ref>Tafel, p. 173</ref> On the closing night of the convention, Stephen Fong, then-president of the San Francisco chapter, spoke at the dais as part of a series of speeches from "mainstreet Americans," but was not publicly identified as gay.<ref name="tafel-174">Tafel, p. 174.</ref> Nevertheless, his presence on the podium for the organization and for the gay and lesbian community "was something that would have been unimaginable four years earlier," Tafel later wrote.<ref name="tafel-174"/> Fong was the first openly gay speaker at a Republican National Convention.<ref>{{cite web |last=Keen |first=Lisa |url=http://www.ebar.com/news/article.php?sec=news&article=71747 |title=Tension between gays and GOP shrouds convention |work=The Bay Area Reporter Online |date=2016-07-21 |access-date=2016-07-26}}</ref> Two days later, Dole spokesperson Christina Martin told a reporter that the campaign "welcomed the endorsement of the Log Cabin Republicans."<ref name="tafel-174"/> LCR voted to endorse Dole for President, and then-[[Republican National Committee]] chairman [[Haley Barbour]] approved the use of the RNC's press briefing room for Tafel, LCR's convention delegates and officers of its national board to announce their decision.<ref name="tafel-174"/> Later in the campaign, Tafel met with Dole's chief aide [[Sheila Burke]], and the remaining demands LCR made for their endorsement were met. In a statement released by LCR, and confirmed to reporters by the campaign, Dole had pledged to maintain an executive order prohibiting discrimination based on sexual orientation in the federal workforce and full funding for AIDS programs.<ref name="tafel-174"/> ===2000 presidential election=== The group endorsed [[George W. Bush]] in 2000.<ref name="history"/> ===2004 presidential election=== Due to his support of the [[Federal Marriage Amendment]], the group declined to endorse the reelection of [[George W. Bush]] in 2004.<ref name="trib"/> The proposed amendment would have constitutionally defined marriage as exclusively between one man and one woman.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.cnn.com/2004/ALLPOLITICS/02/24/elec04.prez.bush.marriage/ |title=Bush calls for ban on same-sex marriages |date=February 25, 2004 |publisher=[[CNN]] |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090515103309/http://www.cnn.com/2004/ALLPOLITICS/02/24/elec04.prez.bush.marriage/ |archive-date=May 15, 2009 }}</ref> Bush's defense of the FMA led the group to vote 22 to 2 against an endorsement of his reelection.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://pridesource.com/article.html?article=9542 |title=Log Cabin nixes Bush, others endorse Kerry |date=2004-09-16 |work=[[PrideSource]] |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131113081019/http://pridesource.com/article.html?article=9542 |archive-date=2013-11-13 }}</ref> The Palm Beach County chapter in Florida did endorse him, resulting in the revocation of their charter.<ref name="wapo">{{cite news |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/03/26/AR2005032604814.html |title=Log Cabins Go Against the GOP Grain |first1=Mike |last1=Allen |first2=Dana |last2=Milbank |date=March 27, 2005 |newspaper=[[The Washington Post]]}}</ref> ===2008 presidential election=== In September 2008, LCR voted to endorse the [[John McCain]]–[[Sarah Palin]] ticket in the [[2008 United States presidential election|2008 presidential election]]. LCR President Patrick Sammon said the most important reason for their support was McCain's opposition to the [[Federal Marriage Amendment|proposed constitutional amendment]] to ban [[same-sex marriage]].<ref>{{cite news|last=Jacobson |first=Louis |title=Log Cabin Republicans Endorsing McCain Today |url=http://www.rollcall.com/news/-27894-1.html |newspaper=Roll Call |date=September 2, 2008 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130203162122/http://www.rollcall.com/news/-27894-1.html |archive-date=February 3, 2013 }}</ref> ===2012 presidential election=== On 23 October 2012, LCR officially endorsed [[Mitt Romney]] despite Romney's commitment to a constitutional amendment barring gays and lesbians from marriage nationwide and his objection to the repeal of the "[[Don't Ask, Don't Tell]]" policy on military service.<ref>{{cite web |title=With Endorsement, Log Cabin Republicans Declare 'We Are Americans First' |url=http://www.logcabin.org/pressrelease/with-endorsement-log-cabin-republicans-declare-we-are-americans-first/ |date=October 23, 2012 |publisher=Log Cabin Republicans |access-date=April 22, 2016}}</ref> In a public statement, LCR said it supported Romney due to the "gravity of the economic and national security issues currently at stake". Moreover, LCR expressed its hope that Romney would reconsider his opposition to the [[Employment Non-Discrimination Act]], but he did not.<ref>{{cite news|title=Log Cabin Republicans Endorse Mitt Romney|url=http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/10/23/log-cabin-republicans-mitt-romney_n_2006348.html |date=2012-10-23|publisher=Huffington Post|access-date=July 30, 2013}}</ref> ===2016 presidential election=== On October 22, 2016, the board members of LCR voted not to endorse the Republican nominee for president, [[Donald Trump]].<ref>{{Citation| last = Wheaton| first = Sarah | title = Log Cabin Republicans board votes against endorsing Trump| newspaper = [[Politico]]| date = October 22, 2016 | url = http://www.politico.com/story/2016/10/donald-trump-log-cabin-republicans-230178 | access-date = 2016-10-22}}</ref> In defiance, the LCR statewide chapters of Colorado, Georgia, and Texas, along with the LCR countywide chapter of Orange County, California and the LCR city chapters of Houston, Texas; Los Angeles, California; Miami, Florida; and Cleveland, Ohio; voted to endorse Donald Trump.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nbcnews.com/feature/nbc-out/breaking-national-group-local-log-cabin-chapters-endorse-trump-n676826|title=Breaking with national group, local Log Cabin chapters endorse Trump|website=[[NBC News]]|date=2 November 2016 }}</ref> Nationwide, exit polls estimated that Trump received the lowest percentage of the LGBT vote by any Republican presidential candidate since the metric was first included in presidential polls in 1992.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.nbcnews.com/card/nbc-news-exit-poll-trump-fails-peel-lgbt-voters-away-n680901|title=NBC News Exit Poll: Trump Fails to Peel LGBT Voters Away From Democratic Party|first=NBC News Exit Poll Desk1013d ago / 4:03 AM|last=UTC|website=NBC News}}</ref> Trump received only 14% of the LGBT vote, a significant decline from Mitt Romney who received 22% in 2012.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.washingtonblade.com/2016/11/14/lgbt-voters-rejected-trump-lopsided-margin/|title=LGBT voters rejected Trump by lopsided margin|date=November 14, 2016}}</ref> On November 9, 2016, the national LCR congratulated Donald Trump on his victory.<ref name="Florida">{{cite web|url=http://southfloridagaynews.com/Politics/gay-republicans-celebrate-trump-victory.html|title=Gay Republicans Celebrate Trump Victory|first=John|last=McDonald}}</ref> ===2020 presidential election=== In November 2018, Jerri Ann Henry became the first woman to serve as Log Cabin executive director. A month later, she said in a television interview that, while she perceived Trump as having been "vocally supportive" of LGBT people compared to other Republican presidents and presidential candidates, there had nevertheless been "a lot of ups and downs in the last two years with some of the administration's actions."<ref name="thehill1">{{cite news|last1=Manchester|first1=Julia|date=7 December 2018|title=There are 'ups and downs' in Trump's relationship with LGBT community, says leader of gay GOP group|work=The Hill|url=https://thehill.com/hilltv/rising/420222-there-are-ups-and-downs-in-trumps-relationship-with-lgbt-community-says-leader|access-date=9 December 2018}}</ref> On August 16, 2019, more than a year prior to [[2020 United States presidential election|the election]], the Log Cabins endorsed Trump. Chair Robert Kabel and vice chair Jill Homan gave their reasons for the endorsement in a ''Washington Post'' op-ed.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/trump-met-his-commitments-to-lgbtq-americans-he-has-our-endorsement/2019/08/15/fb9b741c-bf96-11e9-a5c6-1e74f7ec4a93_story.html|title=Trump met his commitments to LGBTQ Americans. He has our endorsement.|department=Opinions|newspaper=The Washington Post|date=15 August 2019|first1=Robert|last1=Kabel|first2=Jill|last2=Homan|access-date=2020-04-30}}</ref> Three women resigned in protest: board member [[Jennifer Horn]] (who earlier in the year had served as campaign manager for Trump's 2020 primary challenger [[Bill Weld]]),<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2019/08/20/her-gop-group-endorsed-trump-so-she-resigned-she-wouldnt-able-look-her-children-eye/|title=Her GOP group endorsed Trump, so she resigned. She wouldn't be able to 'look her children in the eye.'|last=Krakow|first=Morgan|date=20 August 2019|newspaper=The Washington Post|access-date=2019-08-20|department=Politics}}</ref> Log Cabin's first woman board member [[Sarah Longwell]],<ref name="Souls">{{cite news |last1=Rubin |first1=Jennifer |title=Not all Republicans have lost their souls |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2019/08/22/not-all-republicans-have-lost-their-souls/ |newspaper=The Washington Post |date=22 August 2019 |access-date=2020-04-30 |department=Opinions}}</ref> and executive director Jerri Ann Henry.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.washingtonblade.com/2019/08/27/exclusive-log-cabin-executive-director-resigns-over-trump-endorsement/|title=Exclusive: Log Cabin executive director resigns over Trump endorsement |newspaper=The Washington Blade |date=27 August 2019 |access-date=2019-08-28|first=Chris|last=Johnson}}</ref> NBC exit polls found that 27% of LGBT voters chose Trump.<ref name=":0">{{Cite news |last=Rascius |first=Brendan |date=November 7, 2024 |title=How did LGBT Americans vote in election? Exit poll finds significant shift from 2020 |url=https://www.miamiherald.com/news/politics-government/election/article295190254.html |access-date=February 6, 2025 |work=Miami Herald}}</ref> === 2024 presidential election === In April 2024, [[Melania Trump]] was the guest of honor at a Log Cabin Republicans fundraiser in [[Mar-a-Lago]], raising over $1 million according to organizers. This launched the Log Cabin "Road to Victory" program to reach voters in swing states and marked a rare appearance by Melania Trump at a political event.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/melania-trump-announces-push-woo-gay-conservatives-fundraiser/story?id=109477174 |work=ABC News |date=April 22, 2024 |title=Melania Trump announces push to woo gay Conservatives at a fundraiser |last1=Soo |first1=Rin Kim |first2=Lalee |last2=Ibssa |access-date=June 29, 2024}}</ref> In July, she hosted a second LCR fundraiser at [[Trump Tower]], raising $1.4 million.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Craighead |first1=Olivia |title=Melania Reappears for Conservative LGBTQ+ Fundraiser |url=https://www.thecut.com/article/melania-trump-campaign-fundraiser-log-cabin-republicans.html |website=The Cut |date=10 July 2024 |access-date=16 July 2024}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Nicholls |first1=Flynn |title=Melania Trump Holds 'Spectacular' GOP Fundraiser at Her NYC Penthouse |url=https://www.newsweek.com/melania-trump-fundraiser-republicans-new-york-city-penthouse-log-cabin-gop-1922649 |website=Newsweek |date=9 July 2024 |access-date=16 July 2024}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Ogles |first=Jacob |date=August 16, 2024 |title=Melania Trump cashed six-figure check to speak to gay Republicans at Mar-a-Lago |url=https://www.advocate.com/politics/melania-trump-lcr-speaking-gig |access-date=2024-11-12 |website=Advocate |language=en}}</ref> For the April appearance, Trump was paid $237,500 but the Log Cabin Republicans denied that they made the payment. An anonymous source told CNN that former [[First presidency of Donald Trump|first Trump Administration]] official [[Ric Grenell]] made the payment. As of September 2024, it was not known if Trump was paid for the July appearance.<ref>{{cite news| url= https://www.cnn.com/2024/09/23/politics/melania-trump-speaking-engagements/index.html |title=Melania Trump was paid for a rare appearance at a political event. It's not clear who cut the unusual six-figure check|date=September 23, 2024|first1=Pamela |last1=Brown| authorlink1= Pamela Brown (journalist)| first2=Jeremy |last2=Herb | first3=Shoshana |last3= Dubnow|publisher= [[CNN]]}}</ref> A fundraising event organized by Log Cabin Republicans was held on 22 October 2024 in [[Charlotte, North Carolina]]—a state considered to be one of the battleground states in the 2024 election.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Davis Jr. |first1=Elliott |date=November 5, 2024 |title=The 2024 Swing States: Why North Carolina Could Sway the Presidential Election |url=https://www.usnews.com/news/elections/articles/the-2024-swing-states-north-carolina-could-sway-the-2024-election |work=[[U.S. News & World Report]]}}</ref> The event was promoted as supporting the [[LGBTQ community|LGBT community]] within the Trump campaign. However, reports following the event indicated that there were no [[Rainbow flag (LGBT)|rainbow flags]] present, a symbol of the LGBT community that is normally prominent in events in support of it.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Lavietes |first1=Matt |title=No 'victim mentality' or rainbow flags: Gay Republicans rally for Trump |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/nbc-out/out-politics-and-policy/gay-republicans-rally-for-trump-no-victims-no-rainbow-flags-rcna176940 |work=NBC News |date=24 October 2024 |language=en}}</ref> Speakers at the event rejected calls for equality as "victim mentality", and instead insisted that the LGBT community has already reached equality.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Wiggins |first1=Christopher |title=MAGA gays at Trump event claim LGBTQ+ equality already exists |url=https://www.advocate.com/election/maga-gays-trump-unity-event |work=www.advocate.com |date=25 October 2024 |language=en}}</ref> Headliners at the event included [[Richard Grenell]], who was the first openly gay person to serve in the Cabinet, as well as [[Lara Trump]].<ref>{{cite news |last1=Golian |first1=Jonathan |title=Charlotte Log Cabin and 'Trump Unity Event' flops |url=https://qnotescarolinas.com/charlotte-log-cabin-and-trump-unity-event-flops/ |work=QnotesCarolinas.com |date=29 October 2024}}</ref> NBC exit polls found that 13% of LGBT voters chose Trump.<ref name=":0" />
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