A gay Republican group was given a refund Wednesday and "disinvited" from Denver's Western Conservative Summit after signing up for a convention booth, but now the Colorado Republican Party has offered to share its booth.
According to The Denver Post, organizers of the swing-state convention told members of the Log Cabin they "are very welcome to get tickets and attend, but we can’t officially have the organization as a partner, exhibitor, or advertiser."
The convention, being held June 26-28 in Denver, will feature speeches by Scott Walker, Ben Carson, Mike Huckabee, and Rick Santorum. It is affiliated with Colorado Christian University, and sponsored by the Centennial Institute.
"It is a pretty common issue we face. They’ll take our money, but want us in the closet," said Michael Carr, secretary of the state chapter of Log Cabin Republicans and a former state Senate candidate.
"This is the most important time for us to be reaching out to all types of groups and people, all types of Republicans, all types of conservatives. Young people especially want to see a robust political debate and this dis-invitation is the exact opposite of that. Being perceived as anti-gay turns young people off even more than it does the general public."
John Andrews, head of the Centennial Institute, said he was "disappointed" that the Log Cabin Republicans sent out a news release without calling him to discuss the issue first.
Because they advocate for same-sex marriage, Andrews said the group's "worldview and policy agenda are fundamentally at odds with what Colorado Christian University stands for, so it’s just not a fit. I’m sorry it has to be that way."
He said that the summit also bars groups who advocate for higher taxes, climate change, and more. He said the policy is clear on the convention's website, and that the group must not have read it before submitting its fee.
On Thursday, the Colorado Republican Party Chairman Steve House publically invited the Log Cabin Republicans to share their booth,
The Associated Press reported.
Andrews said in response that such a set up was a fine compromise.
According to a report from Townhall.com, 63 percent of Americans "support the constitutional right to marry for gay couples, according to a 2015 CNN/ORC poll."
Additionally, "61 percent of Republicans under 30 support gay marriage," the publication wrote.
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