The founding members of the gay conservatives group GoProud said Friday that are stepping away from their day-to-day roles at the organization they started four years ago as a grassroots alternative to the Log Cabin Republicans.

Jimmy LaSalvia, the group’s executive director, and chief strategist Christopher Barron said they will step down from their leadership positions, but will remain active in the organization as members of the board of directors.

GoProud was founded in 2009 by LaSalvia and Barron, two former members of the Log Cabin Republicans.

“Over the last four years, we have led and been a part of some of the most important moments in the conservative movement’s history. As we look forward to the next four years, we know that GOProud’s work is more important now than ever,” LaSalvia said, in a statement.

The group has often been criticized for it’s brazen style, including naming Ann Coulter to its Advisory Council as Honorary Chair, and for failing to stand up to GOP establishment on topics related to LGBT rights.

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Last year, the group endorsed Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney , adding that it was “prepared to commit significant resources” to ensure his victory.” Romney’s anti-LGBT campaign platform was well known: he opposed marriage equality, opposed repealing the Defense of Marriage Act, was opposed to the repeal of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell,” and had spoken out against the Employment Non-Discrimination Act.

And after years of refusing to take a position on same-sex marriage, GOProud finally announced in January of this year that it supports marriage equality for gays and lesbians.

The board will conduct a search to find LaSalvia’s successor.