Illinois GOP Tosses Antigay Committee Members

When Pat Brady, former GOP chairman for the state of Illinois, urged his party to support marriage equality last year, the reaction by some was swift and angry. Seven central committee party members signed a letter saying they wanted Brady fired for daring to deviate from the GOP platform. Now, six of those letter signers are no longer committee members after a recent intra-party election.

Many committee members found themselves voted out as the party tries to appear less hostile toward women and minorities. Brady, who stepped down last May as his wife battles cancer, says the recent election is a boon to the Republicans of Illinois, who are now living in a state with marriage equality.

"There were some people that have moved on that were great, and then there were others that were absolutely destructive and were not good for the party and they're gone," Brady told the Daily Journal. "All in all, it was a good night, (bringing in) a lot of new blood."

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