Indiana GOP poised to remove language supporting marriage between 'a man and a woman'

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Indiana Republicans are poised to remove language supporting marriage between a man and a woman in their updated party platform, a move that could rekindle longstanding divisions in the party over gay marriage.

The latest draft of the new platform removes language labeling strong families as ones that are "based on marriage between a man and a woman." That phrasing was inserted into the party's platform during Vice President Mike Pence's time as governor.

Pence's office did not immediately respond Friday to questions about the change.

The proposed change sets up a fight between state party leadership, now stocked with political advisers close to Gov. Eric Holcomb, and some of the party’s most stalwart social conservatives, including those behind the push for 2015’s Religious Freedom Restoration Act.

Delegates to the June 9 Indiana Republican Convention in Evansville will vote on the platform in addition to nominating three incumbents for the statewide GOP ticket: Secretary of State Connie Lawson, Treasurer Kelly Mitchell and Auditor Tera Klutz.

The convention is the state GOP's first since Pence left the governor's residence in January 2017 to become President Donald Trump's No. 2.

The decision to alter the platform's language also provides more insight on where Gov. Holcomb and other party leaders may stand on social issues.

Holcomb did not immediately respond to questions about his stance on the issue.

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Kyle Hupfer, the chairman of the Indiana Republican Party, said the language was the result of the delegates' listening sessions and didn't change simply due to the election of a new governor and party head.

"I do think it reflects a view we should be supportive of," Hupfer said.

"We have the governor's office. We have supermajorities in both the House and Senate. We are basically charged with setting the direction of the state and what is best for all Hoosiers."

He added that the party still highlights what he sees as the benefit of a marriage between a man and a woman. But he also noted that many Hoosier children are part of families different from that. What's more important, he said, is that they're raised in a loving and caring home.

Social conservatives in the party disagreed.

"It looks to me the party is walking away from the values of voters," said Micah Clark, president of the socially conservative American Family Association of Indiana.

If approved as is, the platform would still say, "We support the traditional families with a mother and father, blended families, grandparents, guardians, single parents and all loving adults who successfully raise and nurture children to reach their full potential every day."

Members on the platform committee and in the party see the softened language as a compromise between two opposing factions of the party. and one that will keep both sides happy.

But some delegates are offended by the new language. Scott Tibbs, a delegate who writes a conservative blog, said children need both a mother and a father and Republicans should "endorse God's plan of one man, one woman."

"This language should be strengthened, not weakened," Tibbs said. "It was already a wishy-washy statement, so watering it down even more is a terrible idea and an affront to the Republican Party's base."

For years, two factions of the party have argued over the necessity of keeping language that supports "traditional marriage." After years of specifying that marriage should be between a man and a woman, the 2012 Republican state convention delegates took out the phrase, staying silent on the matter.

At the time of the 2012 decision, Holcomb served as party chairman.

Two years later, after Holcomb left his position as chairman and Vice President Mike Pence was in the middle of his tenure as governor, the party put language supporting "traditional" marriage back into the party's platform.

At the time, delegates in support of the traditional marriage language wore "pro-Pence, pro-marriage" buttons.

Republicans in support of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender rights called the language offensive and have since pushed for updated language.

"We support strong families," said Megan Robertson, a state GOP delegate and LGBT advocate. "Who are we to define what a strong family is?"

While supportive of the new language, Robertson said it could be better.

Clark said that the platform committee would likely listen to Holcomb and party chairman Hupfer if they said they preferred the marriage language one way or another and criticized the platform committee's decision to change language.

"Why would a party where Donald Trump wins by 19 points, where Mike Pence is from, why would our party adopt a platform that doesn’t look like the national platform," Clark said. "It's kind of a slap in the face to Mike Pence and the Trump base."

The 2016 national Republican Party platform also contained language opposing gay marriage.

The decision to change the state's party platform comes after a rocky primary election season to determine who would oppose Sen. Joe Donnelly in the fall. The election between Rep. Todd Rokita, Rep. Luke Messer and businessman Mike Braun was labeled one of the nation's nastiest.

Clark worried this decision could separate the party more.

But those on the other side of the issue see it as a unifying measure.

Bric Butler, a 21-year-old gay man and a state delegate, said it’s a moot point to keep language specifying marriage between a man and a woman because gay marriage was legalized in all 50 states.

“At this point I just see it as a deterrent keeping (that language) in there,” Butler said. “Now I think there’s less barriers to identifying with the Republicans by removing that.”

Call IndyStar reporter Kaitlin Lange at (317) 432-9270. Follow her on Twitter: @kaitlin_lange.

2016 language:

"WE BELIEVE, in strong families. We believe that strong families, based on marriage between a man and a woman, are the foundation of society. We also recognize that some families are much more diverse and we support the blended families, grandparents, guardians and loving adults who successfully raise and nurture children to reach their full potential every day."

2018 language:

"We believe in strong families. We believe that strong families are the foundation of society and that such families bring forth citizens capable of self-government as well as properly-motivated public servants so essential for a successful republic. We support the traditional families with a mother and father, blended families, grandparents, guardians, single parents and all loving adults who successfully raise and nurture children to reach their full potential every day."