The Western Conservative Summit, a gathering of some of the most influential newsmakers on the right, created a firestorm this week when it uninvited a gay GOP group to set up a table at the Denver event.

Members of the Colorado Log Cabin Republicans and gay-rights activists in both major parties say the move sends a wrong message.

The summit is sponsored by Colorado Christian University in Lakewood and its think tank, the Centennial Institute. Summit chairman and institute director John Andrews said Wednesday that the Log Cabin Republicans “advocate contrary to our agenda and our core beliefs.”

“The Log Cabin Republicans exists to redefine the family,” he said. “Log Cabin Republicans think gay marriage should be the law of the land, and Colorado Christian University doesn’t believe it should be.”

Log Cabin Republican members have been told they can still purchase tickets and attend the summit, scheduled for June 26- 28 at the Colorado Convention Center.

“It is a pretty common issue we face. They’ll take our money but want us in the closet,” said Denver resident Michael Carr, a former state Senate candidate and secretary of the state chapter of Log Cabin Republicans.

“This is the most important time for us to be reaching out to all types of groups and people, all types of Republicans, all types of conservatives,” Carr said. “Young people especially want to see a robust political debate, and this disinvitation is the exact opposite of that. Being perceived as anti-gay turns young people off even more than it does the general public.”

Upon hearing the news, conservative columnist David Harsanyi tweeted “makes no sense.”

Among those scheduled to speak at the summit are 2016 presidential hopefuls Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker and Ben Carson.

Speakers still set

Andrews, a former state Senate president, said so far none of the speakers has backed out because of publicity over the Log Cabin Republicans. Walker is in Europe this week attending a trade summit, and his campaign said he was not immediately available for comment.

The Human Rights Campaign called for Walker to cancel his summit appearance.

“As a potential candidate, Gov. Walker should lead by example and tell the organizers that he will pull out of this event unless they allow equal access to LGBT Republicans,” said Fred Sainz, vice president of communications for the national gay-rights group.

Political consultant Eric Sondermann said the outrage over the revoked invitation isn’t surprising, as some conservatives “refuse to get the memo” that public attitudes about homosexuality have shifted.

“For so many people who might be receptive to a conservative message on economic issues, on personal liberties, on foreign policy, on regulation, they’ll never get that message because they can’t get past this issue,” Sondermann said.

Jon Caldara, president of the Independence Institute in Denver, said the decision was made for religious reasons, not political ones, and it’s not that surprising considering the summit is an outgrowth of a Christian university. But he said he wished the summit hadn’t revoked the GOP gay group’s invitation.

“This is one of the reasons our side loses. There’s a perception that we’re not friendly to alternative lifestyles,” Caldara said.

$250 fee refunded

Alexander Hornaday, spokesman for the Colorado Log Cabin Republicans, said the group was invited to participate in the summit at a discount rate by the Center Right Coalition. The summit this week refunded their $250 fee and informed the group it couldn’t attend “as a partner, exhibitor or advertiser.”

Andrews told Log Cabin Republicans that their “worldview and policy agenda are fundamentally at odds with what Colorado Christian University stands for, so it’s just not a fit. I’m sorry it has to be that way.”

Hornaday said voters under 40 and especially under 30 need to see Republicans not only tolerating gay conservatives but welcoming them.

“It’s just heartbreaking some of these older guard in the movement don’t see that,” he said.

Andrews said all are welcome, and he pointed to the summit’s Facebook page.

“Come one, come all: conservatives, moderates, and liberals; black, white, Asian, or Hispanic; men and women, younger and old, Republican, Democrat, or libertarian; immigrant or DAR; gay or straight,” Andrews said on the post, adding that the summit “aims to build a coalition of all ages and all colors around reviving liberty and sharing Judeo-Christian truth and love.”

Lynn Bartels: 303-954-5327, lbartels@denverpost.com or twitter.com/lynn_bartels