“Two right-leaning groups—American Unity Fund and Project Right Side—are releasing a poll that they say shows that most voters support gay marriage, and a higher proportion of Republicans support gay marriage than measured before.”
Yeah, right. Lets govern by your phony polls. For example, if I recall correctly, gay marriage was voted down by a majority of voters in no less the left leaning state of california (overturned by an activist court).
In 2010, Mehlman came out as gay in an interview with journalist Marc Ambinder, making him one of the few prominent openly gay figures in the Republican Party. Since coming out, Mehlman has advocated for the recognition of same-sex marriage
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Ken Mehlman Launches Gay Rights Project
The former RNC chairman created Project Right Side, a research and analysis nonprofit, with the belief that conservatives succeed when they “attract new supporters to timeless traditions.”
“Some misperceive the issue of marriage equality as exclusively progressive. Yet what could be more conservative than support for more freedom and less government? And what freedom is more basic than the right to marry the person you love? Smaller, less intrusive government surely includes an individual deciding whom to marry. Allowing civil marriage for same-sex couples will cultivate community stability, encourage fidelity and commitment, and foster family values.
“Conservatives don’t need to change core convictions to embrace the growing support for equal rights for gay Americans. It is sufficient to recognize the inherent conservatism in citizens’ desire to marry, to be judged on their work, and not to be singled out for higher taxes or bullying at school. These objectives can be achieved while also protecting religious liberty, as demonstrated by states enacting civil marriage with exemptions for religious institutions.”
After leaving the RNC, Mehlman worked for the law firm Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld and, in 2008, subsequently joined Kohlberg Kravis Roberts, a multinational private equity firm, as Global Head of Public Affairs.
Meet the billionaire hedge fund manager quietly shaping the GOP gay marriage debate (American Unity Fund)
Paul E. Singer, who over the years has used his wealth to spur Republicans to support gay marriage laws. Now, Singer is expanding his reach with the creation of an advocacy group which aims to spend millions influencing the legislative debate over same-sex marriage across the country.
Singer, the 68-year-old founder of Elliott Management Corporation, is not a newcomer to the political battle over gay rights. He coaxed Republican state senators in New York to back a same-sex marriage law in 2011, offering financial cover against backlash stemming from their votes, helping raise six figures for each of them.
The public side of the intra-party debate over gay marriage was visible when Sens. Rob Portman (R-Ohio) and Mark Kirk (R-Ill.) declared support for same-sex marriage, setting off a renewed debate about the issue in the GOP.
For Singer, there is a personal connection to the issue. His son is gay, and got married in Massachusetts, something Singer mentioned in a 2010 speech at a fundraiser for the American Foundation for Equal Rights.
Singer started American Unity PAC in 2012, infusing the operation with a big early donation. The super PAC spent over $2 million on congressional races last cycle, according to data compiled by the Center
Several months ago, Singer laid the groundwork for American Unity Fund, an 501(c)(4) nonprofit affiliated with the super PAC. The effort was officially announced last week. It’s an effort to branch into advocacy and lobbying, and to delve further into legislative battles at the state level.