Cal GOP Elects Gay Board Member

Santa Barbara County Republican Greg Gandrud was elected to the board of the California Republican Committee last week, making him the first openly gay member to sit on the board.

Gandrud said his sexual orientation was not a part of his campaign for the seat, according to Towleroad. Gandrud added that only one person asked him whether his being gay would affect his work.

A self-described fiscal conservative, Gandrud is active in conservative politics and was the chair of the Libertarian Party in Santa Barbara County. He was also a member of Republicans Against Prop 8, a group that opposed a voter initiative to ban marriage equality after it was legalized by the state supreme court in 2008.