What should the GOP do about SSM?

[HagridOfTheDeep]

I actually believe that the next two-term non-nutbar Republican president will endorse SSM halfway through his/her second term. That's the only way for the Republicans to really budge on this issue, and I do think it would convince other moderate Republicans to step up and support what's right.

For example, had Romney won in 2012, gained some popularity, and won again in 2016, I wouldn't have been suprised to see him really mellow out in his second term and become a bit more progressive on some of these issues.

[Sol]

The issues with pubbies supporting SSM is that it'd probably cause a SoCon 3rd party candidacy, at least in the next 10 years.

[IceSpear]

The issues with pubbies supporting SSM is that it'd probably cause a SoCon 3rd party candidacy, at least in the next 10 years.

I think the national Republican candidate will be pro-SSM (or at least not opposed to it) in either 2020 or 2024, depending upon which party wins in 2016.

[SWE]

I'd imagine them taking a state's rights approach in 2016 and 2020, and then drop the issue entirely by 2024

[DC Al Fine]

From a strictly "winning elections" POV, they have a pretty tight rope to walk. The GOP is never going to win over the social justice warriors, but they do need to make themselves acceptable to moderate suburbanites. At the same time, pissing off Evangelicals enough to stay home could cost them the election.

The only positions that successfully complete the balancing act are not talking about gay marriage at all, and states rights.

[Frodo]

As long as the GOP relies on evangelicals and other socially conservative constituencies to deliver them elections (or at least keep them competitive), the only realistic option in this post-GW Bush era is to go on the defense and adopt the states rights approach, recognizing the impossibility of ever successfully adopting a constitutional amendment banning gay marriage.    

And besides, for a party that is so heavily dependent on the white South, states rights might actually be a useful long-term strategy that applies to issues other than gay marriage.