List of pro-gay, pro-choice Republicans

[JacobNC]

Everyone help me out with this list.  This is for the 113th Congress.

SENATE Republicans who are Pro-Gay or Pro-Choice
Susan Collins (R-ME)
Mark Kirk (R-IL)
Lisa Murkowski (R-AK)?

HOUSE
Mario Diaz-Balart (R-FL) - pro-gay only
Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-FL) - pro-gay only
Leonard Lance (R-NJ) - pro-gay only
Rodney Frelinghuysen (R-NJ)
Richard Hanna (R-NY)
Charlie Dent (R-PA)
Pat Meehan (R-PA)?
David Reichert (R-WA)

The reason I bring this up is because Republicans will be losing a significant number of their socially moderate members in the upcoming Congress.  It's funny because as the American people become significantly MORE accepting of gay marriage the Republican caucus becomes significantly LESS accepting of it.  I could be wrong but I don't know of any freshman Republicans next year who are socially moderate.  In the senate, Republicans will lose about 40% of their pro-gay/pro-choice members:  Olympia Snowe (R-ME), Scott Brown (R-MA), plus Kay Bailey Hutchison (R-TX) if you consider her pro-choice.  The House will lose Bono Mack (R-CA), Biggert (R-IL) and Hayworth (R-NY).

To be fair, there are many Democrats who are pro-life and/or anti-gay.  I can't think of them all, but I would appreciate it if someone else could make a list.  Although the Democratic caucus is still overwhelmingly pro-gay and pro-choice.  And let me know if I missed any on the Republican side.

[Keystone Phil]

Pat Meehan might be Pro Gay Marriage (not totally sure. I actually don't think he is) but he's Pro Life.

[bgwah]

Dave Reichert is "pro-gay"? Since when?

[Oldiesfreak1854]

I'm against gay marriage but I'm not "anti-gay".  I don't necessarily hate all homosexuals.

[Brittain33]

I'm against gay marriage but I'm not "anti-gay".  I don't necessarily hate all homosexuals.

The definition of "anti-gay" would be opposing laws that grant legal equality to gays and same-sex couples. Your motivation for opposing equality doesn't matter.

[Holmes]

I'm against gay marriage but I'm not "anti-gay".  I don't necessarily hate all homosexuals.

The definition of "anti-gay" would be opposing laws that grant legal equality to gays and same-sex couples. Your motivation for opposing equality doesn't matter.

Let them tell themselves whatever they want.

[Niemeyerite]

I'm against gay marriage but I'm not "anti-gay".  I don't necessarily hate all homosexuals.

You only hate those who 1) want to get married or/and 2) voted for Obama. So, there may be 2 or 3 gays (out of the closet) you don't hate. You're not anti-gay and Pete Hoesktra is not a racist.

[Vosem]

I'm against gay marriage but I'm not "anti-gay".  I don't necessarily hate all homosexuals.

You only hate those who 1) want to get married or/and 2) voted for Obama. So, there may be 2 or 3 gays (out of the closet) you don't hate. You're not anti-gay and Pete Hoesktra is not a racist.

According to the NY Times exit poll ( http://www.nytimes.com/2012/11/16/us/politics/gay-vote-seen-as-crucial-in-obamas-victory.html?_r=0 ) gays broke 76-22 Obama.

As to what percent of people want to get married, this website ( http://www.meninmarriage.com/article05.htm ) has shown that 95% of Americans want to get married. Thus, 5% of 22% -- is 1.1% of gays Oldies doesn't hate.

This study ( http://williamsinstitute.law.ucla.edu/wp-content/uploads/Gates-How-Many-People-LGBT-Apr-2011.pdf ) estimates 9 million LGBT Americans. 1.1% of 9 million equals 99,000 gays Oldies doesn't hate

[I love MAGA, don’t send me to the camps]

I'm against gay marriage but I'm not "anti-gay".  I don't necessarily hate all homosexuals.

You only hate those who 1) want to get married or/and 2) voted for Obama. So, there may be 2 or 3 gays (out of the closet) you don't hate. You're not anti-gay and Pete Hoesktra is not a racist.

According to the NY Times exit poll ( http://www.nytimes.com/2012/11/16/us/politics/gay-vote-seen-as-crucial-in-obamas-victory.html?_r=0 ) gays broke 76-22 Obama.

As to what percent of people want to get married, this website ( http://www.meninmarriage.com/article05.htm ) has shown that 95% of Americans want to get married. Thus, 5% of 22% -- is 1.1% of gays Oldies doesn't hate.

This study ( http://williamsinstitute.law.ucla.edu/wp-content/uploads/Gates-How-Many-People-LGBT-Apr-2011.pdf ) estimates 9 million LGBT Americans. 1.1% of 9 million equals 99,000 gays Oldies doesn't hate

But those gays probably hate themselves!

[Maxwell]

I'm against gay marriage but I'm not "anti-gay".  I don't necessarily hate all homosexuals.

what a relief!

[JacobNC]

I'm against gay marriage but I'm not "anti-gay".  I don't necessarily hate all homosexuals.

When you're in Congress there's not much gray area.  You either vote for a gay rights bill or against it, and most of the Republicans listed have consistently voted for bills that expand gay rights.  If you consistently vote against things like the Don't Ask Don't Tell repeal, or employment non-discrimination act, or hate crimes etc. (though there is a principled stand behind the latter).

Here are the 15 Republicans who voted for DADT repeal:

Judy Biggert (R-IL)
Mary Bono Mack (R-CA)
John Campbell (R-CA)*
Anh Cao (R-LA)
Mike Castle (R-DE)
Charlie Dent (R-PA)*
Lincoln Diaz-Balart (R-FL)
Charles Djou (R-HI)
David Dreier (R-CA)
Vernon Ehlers (R-MI)
Jeff Flake (R-AZ)*
Ron Paul (R-TX)
Todd Platts (R-PA)*
Dave Reichert (R-WA)*
Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-FL)*

Amazingly, only 5 of the 15 remain in the house, one is now in the Senate.  That was really an easy pro-gay vote to take; it was overwhelmingly supported by the public and there was no good reason to vote against repeal.  So it's pretty safe to say that every member of Congress who voted against it is anti-gay (and I'm really questioning whether the three New Jersey Republicans deserve to be listed above; although they insist they are pro-choice, so I will leave them up there.)

[Benj]

What is pro-gay? The only three openly anti-DOMA Republicans are Ros-Lehtinen, Hanna and Bass (who leaves office in January). And if you're not anti-DOMA, you're anti-gay.

[Maxwell]

The fact that that list is descreasing, not increasing, is depressing me considering my whole life as a Republican was one where I was pro-choice, pro-gay marriage.

[The Night Owlditor]

Would it be possible to categorize the Republicans of the Main Street Partnership as "moderate" and the Republicans who are members of the Tea Party Caucus (or at least support the movement) as "conservative?"

"The Republican Main Street Partnership (RMSP) is a group of moderate members of the Republican Party. They tend away from the dominant social conservatism of many Republicans and towards fiscal conservatism and limited government. The group is the rough equivalent of the Blue Dog Democrats." [Wikipedia]

SENATORS
Susan Collins (Maine)
Mark Steven Kirk (Illinois)
John McCain (Arizona)
Olympia Snowe (Maine)

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Steve Austria (OH-07) - Retiring
David Dreier (CA-26) - Retiring
Jo Ann Emerson (MO-08) - Retiring
Steve LaTourette (OH-14) - Retiring
Jerry Lewis (CA-41) - Retiring
Todd Platts (PA-19) - Retiring
Bob Turner (NY-09) - Retiring
Roscoe Bartlett (MD-06) - Defeated
Charles Bass (NH-02) - Defeated
Judy Biggert (IL-13) - Defeated
Brian Bilbray (CA-50) - Defeated
Mary Bono Mack (CA-36) - Defeated
Bobby Schilling (IL-17) - Defeated
Nan Hayworth (NY-19)
Bob Dold (IL-10) - Defeated

Jaime Herrera Beutler (WA-03)
Ken Calvert (CA-44)
David Lee Camp (MI-04)
Shelley Moore Capito (WV-02)
Charlie Dent (PA-15)
Mario Diaz-Balart (FL-21)
Mike Fitzpatrick (PA-08)
Jeff Fortenberry (NE-01)
Rodney Frelinghuysen (NJ-11)
Jim Gerlach (PA-06)
Chris Gibson (NY-20)
Michael Grimm (NY-13)
Richard Hanna (NY-24)
Lynn Jenkins (KS-02)
Bill Johnson (OH-06)
Adam Kinzinger (IL-11)
Leonard Lance (NJ-07)
Frank LoBiondo (NJ-02)
David McKinley (WV-01)
Pat Meehan (PA-07)
Tim Murphy (PA-18)
Erik Paulsen (MN-03)
Tom Petri (WI-06)
Tom Reed (NY-29)
Dave Reichert (WA-08)
Jim Renacci (OH-16)
Jon Runyan (NJ-03)
Aaron Schock (IL-18)
Mike Simpson (ID-02)
Steve Stivers (OH-15)
Lee Terry (NE-02)
Pat Tiberi (OH-12)
Mike Turner (OH-03)
Fred Upton (MI-06)
Greg Walden (OR-02)
Ed Whitfield (KY-01)
Frank Wolf (VA-10)

Some of the names on the list surprise me. Not sure if this helps.

[The Night Owlditor]

Everyone help me out with this list.  This is for the 113th Congress.

SENATE Republicans who are Pro-Gay or Pro-Choice
Susan Collins (R-ME)
Mark Kirk (R-IL)
Lisa Murkowski (R-AK)?

HOUSE
Mario Diaz-Balart (R-FL) - pro-gay only
Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-FL) - pro-gay only
Jon Runyan (R-NJ)
Leonard Lance (R-NJ) - pro-gay only
Rodney Frelinghuysen (R-NJ)
Richard Hanna (R-NY)
Charlie Dent (R-PA)
Pat Meehan (R-PA)?
David Reichert (R-WA)

The reason I bring this up is because Republicans will be losing a significant number of their socially moderate members in the upcoming Congress.  It's funny because as the American people become significantly MORE accepting of gay marriage the Republican caucus becomes significantly LESS accepting of it.  I could be wrong but I don't know of any freshman Republicans next year who are socially moderate.  In the senate, Republicans will lose about 40% of their pro-gay/pro-choice members:  Olympia Snowe (R-ME), Scott Brown (R-MA), plus Kay Bailey Hutchison (R-TX) if you consider her pro-choice.  The House will lose Bono Mack (R-CA), Biggert (R-IL) and Hayworth (R-NY).

To be fair, there are many Democrats who are pro-life and/or anti-gay.  I can't think of them all, but I would appreciate it if someone else could make a list.  Although the Democratic caucus is still overwhelmingly pro-gay and pro-choice.  And let me know if I missed any on the Republican side.

Shelley Moore Capito is pro-choice; not sure about how she votes on gay issues. It'll be interesting to see if she's teabagged in the West Virginia Republican senatorial primary to challenge Rockefeller.

[Bacon King]

Would it be possible to categorize the Republicans of the Main Street Partnership as "moderate" and the Republicans who are members of the Tea Party Caucus (or at least support the movement) as "conservative?"

Lynn Jenkins and David McKinley

your categorization is invalid

[You Don’t Mess With The Zohran]

Would it be possible to categorize the Republicans of the Main Street Partnership as "moderate" and the Republicans who are members of the Tea Party Caucus (or at least support the movement) as "conservative?"

Lynn Jenkins and David McKinley

your categorization is invalid

Haha wtf? That's a contradiction if I've seen it.

[Drop Billionaires, Not Bombs]

Jon Runyan opposes gay marriage and abortion.

[Oldiesfreak1854]

I'm against gay marriage but I'm not "anti-gay".  I don't necessarily hate all homosexuals.

You only hate those who 1) want to get married or/and 2) voted for Obama. So, there may be 2 or 3 gays (out of the closet) you don't hate. You're not anti-gay and Pete Hoesktra is not a racist.

I don't hate them even if they want to get married.  But in the words of the Rolling Stones, you can't always get what you want (I'm really living up to my screenname now ).  They can live together and love each other and even get the same benefits, but don't redefine marriage.

And FTR, I would have voted to repeal DADT as well.

[afleitch]

I'm against gay marriage but I'm not "anti-gay".  I don't necessarily hate all homosexuals.

You only hate those who 1) want to get married or/and 2) voted for Obama. So, there may be 2 or 3 gays (out of the closet) you don't hate. You're not anti-gay and Pete Hoesktra is not a racist.

I don't hate them even if they want to get married.  But in the words of the Rolling Stones, you can't always get what you want (I'm really living up to my screenname now ).  They can live together and love each other and even get the same benefits, but don't redefine marriage.

And FTR, I would have voted to repeal DADT as well.

How exactly is marriage being 'redefined' by allowing same sex couples to enter into it?

[Drop Billionaires, Not Bombs]

I'm against gay marriage but I'm not "anti-gay".  I don't necessarily hate all homosexuals.

You only hate those who 1) want to get married or/and 2) voted for Obama. So, there may be 2 or 3 gays (out of the closet) you don't hate. You're not anti-gay and Pete Hoesktra is not a racist.

But in the words of the Rolling Stones, you can't always get what you want.

A lot of people are going to learn that lesson over the next decade.

Marriage isn't being 'redefined.'  It's not even being redefined in a legal sense.  It's simply giving the right of two consenting adults to enter into a contract that allows them the same rights and benefits of every other married couple.  If your number one objection to gay marriage is based on a semantics issue, then it is you who has a problem -- not those who support equality.

[adma]

Worth noting how some of the Rs on the list represent(ed) constituencies w/a prominent same-sex demo within or in proximity (the Miami Cubans + Bono Mack)

[JacobNC]

Jon Runyan opposes gay marriage and abortion.

Okay.  I removed him.

Worth noting how some of the Rs on the list represent(ed) constituencies w/a prominent same-sex demo within or in proximity (the Miami Cubans + Bono Mack)

Yeah.  Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-FL) is the only Republican in Congress, maybe the only high profile Republican in America, who has been a strong, consistent advocate for gay rights for decades.  But she's pro-life and very conservative on most fiscal and foreign policy issues.

[Nhoj]

Would it be possible to categorize the Republicans of the Main Street Partnership as "moderate" and the Republicans who are members of the Tea Party Caucus (or at least support the movement) as "conservative?"

Lynn Jenkins and David McKinley

your categorization is invalid

Well if his argument is that the main street caucus is moderate on social issues yes. However I do remember seeing one of those lists perhaps from the ACU showing that McKinley had one of the most moderate scores in the GOP.

[Kitteh]

Can we please not turn this thread into yet another debate over whether people who oppose gay rights hate gays? This is an interesting thread and I don't want it to get dragged down by an issue that's been debated ad infinitum.