President Picks Pro-Gay Republican National Chairman Gay Rights Groups Praise Selection of Ex-Gov. Racicot By Ron Gunzburger forced the state GOP to publicly apologize President George W. Bush won praise for the attempted legislation. Because of from gay rights organizations for his term-limits, Racicot was ineligible to seek re- selection December 5 of former Montana election in 2000. Governor Marc Racicot as the new During the Florida recount, Racicot Republican National Committee Chairman. played a prominent role as a Bush campaign Racicot (pronounced spokesman. He also was the Roscoe), a soft-spoken initial frontrunner to become political centrist, has a Bush’s Attorney General. solid pro-gay record However, fierce opposition dating back many years. from Religious Right groups “This appointment forced Racicot to voluntarily hopefully signals that the withdraw his name from GOP is moving in a more consideration. moderate direction that Georgia Republican State will embrace all Chairman Ralph Reed — the Americans,” said Winnie former Executive Director of Stachelberg, Political the Christian Coalition — told Marc Director of the Human The New York Times he Racicot Rights Campaign. “hoped that Racicot’s fierce “Racicot has a strong loyalty to President Bush” record of inclusion and has a history of and “the fact that he would not be in the supporting and respecting people regardless Cabinet setting government policy” would of sexual orientation.” satisfy the Religious Right community. Racicot was first elected governor in Gay Republican, not surprisingly, held 1992 and was re-elected in 1996 with over 80 a more enthusiastic view. “Governor Racicot percent of the vote. While in office, Racicot is the right man at the right time for the GOP. enacted a state employee non-discrimination He understands that inclusion wins for the policy that included sexual orientation. He Republican Party,” said Rich Tafel, Executive also was a proponent of an unsuccessful Director of Log Cabin Republicans. 1993 attempt to repeal the state’s sodomy Racicot, who now works in Washington law. That action earned Racicot strong as a lawyer-lobbyist, will replace outgoing criticism from the Christian Coalition. RNC Chairman Jim Gilmore in January. Racicot also fought against a Religious Gilmore, an anti-gay conservative, resigned Right effort in 1995 to add gay people to the in the aftermath of the GOP’s disappointing state’s sexual offenders registry. He later losses in the 2001 gubernatorial elections.

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