Prominent social conservative urges activists to withhold GOP donations
Los Angeles (CNN) - Prominent social conservative Tony Perkins called on political activists Thursday evening to withhold contributions to Republican campaign committees, as the GOP is embroiled in a debate over social issues.
Perkins, president of the Family Research Council, made the request in an email to supporters of his organization, as members of the Republican National Committee met in California to discuss campaign strategy and political messaging.
"Until the RNC and the other national Republican organizations grow a backbone and start defending core principles, don’t send them a dime of your hard-earned money," Perkins said in the email, a copy of which was obtained by CNN. "If you want to invest in the political process, and I encourage you to do so, give directly to candidates who reflect your values and organizations you trust-like FRC Action."
Perkins’ organization joined 12 other like-minded political groups in criticizing the RNC for "marginalizing social conservatives and avoiding the issues which attract and energize them by the millions," in a letter sent to RNC Chairman Reince Priebus earlier this week.
Perkins and other social conservatives are angry over an RNC report released last month that called for the GOP to rethink its language and messaging to young voters specifically on the issue of same sex marriage. The GOP task force charged with authoring the report suggested the party needed to soften its tone on this issue.
Perkins, in the Thursday email, called on the RNC "to pass a resolution reiterating the GOP’s support for the party platform that was overwhelmingly adopted in Tampa last year."
The RNC will take up a resolution Friday that reaffirms the GOP platform defining marriage as between one man and one woman.
Perkins said the RNC has made a misstep by trying to appeal to younger voters in this way and in doing so has alienated social conservatives.
"Instead of trying to appease millennials, Republicans should try educating them on why marriage matters," Perkins wrote. "There’s an entire group of 'Countercultural Warriors' full of compelling young leaders who are all going to the mat to protect marriage."
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Gop social conservatives should be considered dead and buryed and only speak for the braindead of the gop from the stone age and we don't want what your selling !!!!!
This is going to be so funny to watch. The social conservatives are going to take their marbles and go home. They are on the losing end of a political battle and aren't willing to admit it. Now that the Republican party has firmly grabbed the position of pinch hitter for the NRA, turning it's back on the majority of Americans, the Greedy Old People party will be very shocked to find that it's efforts to be more appealing are being wasted because of all the in-fighting and because the message is still the same. Republicans support God, Guns and Greed, seemingly in that order, while the majority of Americans support Opportunity, Fairness and Equality.
Very brave man to stand up to the Republicans. I am a social conservative and I have left that party a long time ago.
Republicans will self destruct.
Tony Perkins must be a Pharisee, righteous in his own eyes, forget the mercy that the Almighty afforded all through the sacrifice of his only begotten Christ Jesus on the cross. I desire mercy and not sacrifice, go and see what that means.
Leave the GOP to Real Christians !!!
Those who seek to force social issues on America, will lose.........GOP or OTHERWISE!
Dress them in brown shirts, place an arm band on the right arm of them all, and you've just about got the same group that caused a lot of problems back in the early 30's.
I think FRC would do better researching why 50% of hetero marriages end in divorce, since they are so concerned about the "sanct.ity" of marriage! The truth is that "core principles" change w/the social atmosphere of the nation & right now people are asking why those "principles" aren't extended to a large group of our citizens, simply because they're gay! That's wrong & will continue to be wrong! If marriage matters, here you have a large group of people who want to get married, raise kids & have a stable family value filled life, but they should be denied because of prejudice!? That makes no sense at all!!
This will cause the GOP to shrink because there is little flexiblity with the changing society. They will move by standing still and be left behind.
I'll take that advice.
Good grief, social conservatives, it sure took you guys a loooonnnngggg time to figure out that you were being played out and messed over.
And for what – your little cha-ching and some votes?
Good, go give your money to the homeless and needy. I would think that would be what good Christians would do, right?
Hey Tony, your "blah" would hold water if you are really honest about why your think the GOP is wrong these days. So be honest, Is it because the GOP is trying to attract non-white voters?
Any we wonder why the GOP is so hard to deal with. Even their supports resort to blackmail tactics. With friends like these who needs enemies.
Yap....with Repubs support funds is 'See no evil, hear no evil ' ....but Activists demands period .
I am totally with Tony Perkins on this one. Amen!
GOP imploding.
The cracks are starting to form, about time
I bet this nut case believes the earth is only 6000 years old.
I think all social conservatives should listen to him. This way they will never get the white house again
Boy, is Perkins in for a shock.
Oh well. Who cares?
The social conservatives can keep their butts in CHURCH, and STAY OUT of politics!
I, for one, am very tired of "those people" trying to shove what they think down my throat!
They are the ones that want to limit our rights.
My contempt for them knows no bounds.