Gay Republican groups shut out of CPAC again

GOProud and the Log Cabin Republicans won't be attending this year's big conservative gathering

Published February 21, 2013 2:44PM (EST)

          (Facebook/CPACNews)
(Facebook/CPACNews)

Two prominent groups representing gay Republicans will not be present at the conservative confab known as CPAC, which will take place in Washington, D.C. in March.

GOProud and the Log Cabin Republicans told the Huffington Post that they will not be attending the Conservative Political Action Conference, which is put together by the American Conservatives Union,  for the second year in a row. "We were kicked out last year and nothing has changed and we wont be at CPAC," said GOProud's Jimmy LaSalvia. "The last communication I've had from them is that we were kicked out. Nothing has changed."

"At the present time, we have no plans to participate in CPAC this year," a spokesman for the Log Cabin Republicans, West Honeycutt, told HuffPo. Though, according to HuffPo, "Honeycutt would not say whether his group had petitioned to be included in CPAC this year or was voluntarily sitting it out."

The relationship between CPAC and the two groups has soured over the last couple of years. The Log Cabin Republicans participated in 2011, but turned down the chance to have a booth last year. GOProud co-sponsored the event in 2010 and 2011, but was kicked out in 2012.

In 2010 and 2011, a number of conservative groups, such as the Heritage Foundation, the Family Research Council, the National Organization for Marriage and Concerned Women for America, elected not to participate in the event, citing GOProud's involvement.


By Jillian Rayfield

Jillian Rayfield is an Assistant News Editor for Salon, focusing on politics. Follow her on Twitter at @jillrayfield or email her at jrayfield@salon.com.

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2012 Elections Cpac Gay Rights Goproud Log Cabin Republicans