Oregon GOP Dropping Antigay Stance

Oregon's Republican Party announced that it will strip antigay language from its 2012 platform, The Oregonian reports.

The move was made to bring the party more toward the center in a state that has become dominated by Democratic politics on the city and state level.

"We want the public to take another look at the Republican Party and our policies," Oregon GOP spokesman Greg Leo told The Oregonian Tuesday. Oregon has not given its electoral votes to a Republican since Ronald Reagan's reelection campaign in 1984. No Republican has been elected governor since 1987.

Member Xander Almeida (pictured at left) pushed the party to abandon language that condemned civil unions, marriage equality, and child custody for gay and lesbian parents. He said the motion to change the language was initially defeated, but he lobbied party chairman Allen Alley, who helped shepherd the change. The change was partially to appeal to more business-minded voters who don't support the antigay tenor.