Young Conservatives Ask RNC Not to Oppose Marriage Equality in Platform

A group of young conservatives on Wednesday sent a letter to the Republican National Committee Platform Committee asking it to resist adding opposition to marriage equality in the platform during the party convention in Tampa later this month.

Young Conservatives for the Freedom to Marry, which launched in July and is a campaign of Freedom to Marry, addressed the letter to Virginia Governor and RNC Platform Committee Chairman Bob McDonnell.

"Giving people more personal freedom is the foundation of the Republican Party," states the letter. "Which, as the Party of Lincoln, has a proud tradition of expanding liberties. We respectfully request that the GOP honor that tradition as it considers how to address the freedom to marry in its plank."

The letter cites core conservative principles of limited government and individual freedom as reasons to support marriage equality.

"We feel strongly that excluding committed same-sex couples from marriage does not mesh with those principles," the letter states. "Same-sex couples who want to make that commitment in life before family and friends should be able to share in that commitment under law through marriage. And, if we truly believe in family values, then we must value all families."

The letter also cites increasing public support for same-sex marriage, including among Republicans. Pointing to a May 2012 Washington Post/ABC News Poll, the letter states, "among younger Republicans, support for the freedom to marry is approaching majority, with 46% of self-identified Republicans aged 18-44 in support and 46% in opposition... The trend-lines are clear -- support for marriage will continue to grow on the right, with younger Republican voters leading the way."

The letter points to recent marriage equality victories in Republican-led chambers, including the New York Senate's passage of marriage equality last year. The letter also highlights that the GOP-controlled New Hampshire House voted down repeal of the state's popular marriage equality law by a wide margin of 211-116. According to the letter, 197 Republican state legislators have gone on record supporting marriage equality.

The signatories to the letter include Margaret Hoover, a conservative commentator, political strategist and CNN contributor, Sarah Longwell, vice president at Berman and Company, a communications firm in Washington, D.C., and five other conservative advocates for marriage equality.