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Published: February 17, 2007

Gay plot to take over GOP?

Increased presence and influence of homosexuals at Republican Party’s 2007 Spring Convention highlights plan to gain clout on party’s policy-making bodies

The increasing number of open homosexual activists was notable at the California Republican Party 2007 Spring Convention, held Feb. 9 to 11 in Sacramento, and their willingness to answer the party’s call for candidates in no-win districts is one way they plan to rise to positions of influence within the party.

The Log Cabin Republicans are the primary backers of homosexual activism within the Republican Party, both nationally and in California. In California, the group has a statewide umbrella organization and chapters in eight major cities of the state.

At the recent state Republican convention, Log Cabin Republicans sponsored a Saturday evening “Luau” hospitality party in the Hyatt Regency Ventura Suite decorated with a Hawaiian motif. The “Luau” party was well attended after being promoted by Log Cabin Club members in Hawaiian shirts circulating throughout the convention center and hotel to personally offer conventioneers plastic Hawaiian “Lei” necklaces and color flyers with the slogan “Liberty for All!” The word “Liberty” was crossed off and “Luaus” was printed over it.

Because of California’s extremely gerrymandered electoral districts, the minority Republican Party finds it difficult to recruit candidates in 48 of the 80 Assembly districts, 25 of the 40 State Senate districts, and 33 of the 53 Congressional districts, where it is practically impossible for a Republican candidate to win.

The gerrymandering is so effective that, during the 2004 elections, not one seat changed hands from one party to the other in California’s 153 legislative and congressional electoral districts. In November 2006, only one of the 153 seats changed from one party to the other -- and that was when pro-life, conservative U.S. Rep. Richard Pombo, a Republican, lost his seat in the 11th Congressional District (Stockton).

The Republican Party tries to recruit a candidate to run in every district, but as an article in the Feb. 17, 2004 issue of the San Francisco Chronicle pointed out, it is homosexuals who have disproportionately answered the party’s call in the “no-win” districts.

Why? Because, even though they may not win the general election, candidates who win these often uncontested primaries are guaranteed one or more seats, votes, and influence on the California Republican Party Central Committee, which picks leaders and makes rules and policy for the state party.

An example of this phenomenon was on display at the recent convention. Charel Winston and her “spouse,” Alma M. Tricke-Winston, were conspicuously dressed as cowgirls at the convention. Charel Winston won an uncontested June 6, 2006 Republican primary for San Jose’s 16th Congressional District, held since 1994 by liberal Democrat Zoe Lofgren. Winston had run unsuccessfully for city council in El Dorado Hills in 2005.

Winston favors homosexual marriage, legalized abortion and the use of human embryos for stem cell research. Her campaign motor home was parked in front of the convention hotel, and on Saturday evening, Winston posed for pictures wearing a large cowboy hat and red boots outside the Log Cabin Club “Luau” party, while her “spouse,” Alma, wore spurs on her cowboy boots.

“Gay rights ultimately will be won through the Republican Party because the only way we’re going to win is when middle America gets it, and middle America is Republican,”
Jeffrey Bissiri, state chairman of the Log Cabin Club and coordinator of the candidate recruitment drive, told the Chronicle.

(See related story in today’s edition: “Good jobs, good pay”)

© California Catholic Daily 2007. All Rights Reserved.