Social conservatives' panties are in a wad as they prep for "hand-to-hand combat" at this year's GOP convention because other Republicans would like to see a more welcoming approach to same-sex marriage in the GOP platform. Or another way of looking at it is that some Republicans would rather not drive the entire party over a millennial cliff that it can't recover from just because evangelicals are obsessed with what happens in everyone else’s bedrooms. Alex Isenstadt reports:
Some of the party’s biggest financiers, attempting to transform the GOP’s approach, have been helping to bankroll the American Unity Fund, a group that has launched a well-organized, behind-the-scenes effort to lobby convention delegates who will draw up the platform. It is asking them to adopt language that would accommodate same sex marriage.
The organization, which has offices in Washington, D.C., and a growing army of volunteers spread out across the country, has the backing of billionaire investors Paul Singer, Dan Loeb, Seth Klarman and Cliff Asness, who have been outspoken in calling for the GOP to moderate its rigid stance on social issues. [...]
“We are working to ensure that each and every delegate is empowered to vote their conscience and truly craft an inclusive Republican Party platform,” said Jerri Ann Henry, who is spearheading the group’s convention campaign.
But when it comes to pre-Enlightment thinking, Tony Perkins and his minions never fail to disappoint.
Social conservatives, alarmed at what they view as an effort to topple a central tenet of their movement, are also gearing up. Last week, Tony Perkins, the Family Research Council president and a vocal opponent of same sex marriage, secured one of Louisiana’s two slots on the platform committee. Perkins, who also served on the committee in 2012, is expected to take the lead in litigating any efforts to change the party’s position. [...]
“We’re prepared for the fight,” said Ed Martin, the president of Eagle Forum, a leading evangelical group. “It’s hand-to-hand combat.”
Hand-to-hand combat, eh? This is really gonna be a treat—with Trump v. the establishment and the establishment v. evangelicals. Social conservatives must really be inspired by the prospect of having Trump as their nominee—no one knows more about marriage than him!