Married Gay Man Now in Charge of New Hampshire GOP's Finances

Gay New Hampshire businessman Dan Innis has been named the new finance chair of the state's Republican Party, thanks to the support of some opinionated colleagues.

Innis, a married father of three who is running for Congress, received backing from U.S. Sen. Kelly Ayotte and Rep. Frank Guinta. Ayotte opposes the freedom to marry and legal protections for the adopted children of same-sex couples. Guinta has supported a constitutional ban on same-sex marriage, voted to delay the repeal of "don't ask, don't tell," and opposed LGBT-inclusive protections for survivors of domestic violence.

For his part, Innis holds positions generally consistent with other New Hampshire Republicans. He opposes health care reform under the Affordable Care Act and government surveillance, and supports the Keystone Pipeline and restrictions on the Federal Reserve. Himself a small-business owner, he opposes the requirement that employers provide health coverage to employees who work between 30 and 40 hours per week.

As finance chair, Innis will sit on the New Hampshire Republican Party's Executive Committee. He will primarily be responsible for fundraising and management of the party's budget. He'll also oversee a Finance Committee, tasked with holding events and conducting outreach to build the party's financial resources. In other words, the party's fiscal strength will depend on Innis's ability to convince donors to give.

"I am proud to have Dan on my team and look forward to his contributions to the New Hampshire Republican State Committee," read a statement attributed to New Hampshire Republican Party Chair Jennifer Horn.

In 2008, Horn was quoted as saying, "I oppose gay marriage and would support a constitutional amendment defining marriage."

Party leadership will be particularly important over the next two years, as the presidential race gets into full swing. As an early primary state, New Hampshire will have a key role in identifying viable candidates.