Feeling prideful about both George W. Bush and the recent public endorsement of the Maine gay rights bill? Well, so do the Log Cabin Republicans of Maine. The latest chapter of the national group the Log Cabin Republicans, for gay GOP fans, launched on December 30 in Portland. Log Cabin Republicans of Maine plans to meet monthly, host right-leaning speakers, and endorse state legislative and executive candidates in the 2006 elections.
The group currently has five members and has met informally a handful of times since last February, although this month is its official, well, coming out. Chapter president Noah Hincks, of Portland, believes there are a good number of gay closet-Republicans throughout the state yearning to join a group like the Log Cabin Rs.
"There are more [gay Republicans] than you’d think," says Hincks. "I think having the chapter launched now will help some people come out that were apprehensive at first. Now that they see there’s an actual group started, they’ll be more willing to step up."
But the impending deluge Hincks hints at may be more of a trickle. According to him, Maine’s Log Cabin Rs, nothing if not conservative, hope to grow their membership to a whopping ten by next summer.
Hincks, who founded the group with Portland’s openly-gay Republican activist Steven Scharf, admits some prominent national Republicans haven’t always been kind to gays (remember when reforming the US Constitution to ban same-sex marriage was tops on Bush’s agenda?) but says Dems aren’t always much better. Besides, Hincks believes people shouldn’t let who they’re attracted to define their politics.
"I really don’t think gay people should chose their political affiliation for their sexuality," says Hincks. "If you want lower taxes and limited government, you should be a Republican. You shouldn’t be forced into a party because of who you are."
Maine’s Log Cabin Republicans hold monthly meetings planned around members’ schedules, since the group at this stage is so small. If you’d like to find out when and where to show up, call Scharf at 207.774.9393.
