Backlash mounted Wednesday night following the Grand Rapids Area Chamber of Commerce's endorsement of Republican gubernatorial candidate Bill Schuette, with another high-profile business - Founders Brewing Company - saying it will terminate its membership with the group.

A growing list of businesses, residents and advocacy groups have pushed back against the chamber after the organization announced its endorsement on Monday, Sept. 17. They're upset with a legal opinion, issued by Schuette in July, that said the Michigan Civil Rights Commission does not have authority to interpret the state's civil rights act as including discrimination protections against gay and transgender residents.

"We stand with our LGBTQ community and ask that the Grand Rapids Chamber reverse their decision," Founders said in a message posted on its Facebook page. "We will be terminating our membership in the meantime and encourage our fellow local businesses to consider doing the same."

The groups have asked the chamber to rescind the endorsement.

In a statement issued Wednesday, chamber President Rick Baker said his organization remains "committed to diversity, equity, and inclusion" and will continue to advocate to expand the Elliott-Larsen Civil Rights Act to include sexual orientation and gender identity.

He did not indicate whether the chamber is considering reversing its endorsement.

"We have heard the response to our recent GR Chamber PAC endorsement of Bill Schuette for Governor and the frustration and disappointment from members of our business community, particularly as it relates to diversity, equity and inclusion," he said. "We understand our endorsement decisions do not take place in a vacuum and we are open to dialogue to understand the impact of our decisions."

Opposition to the chamber's endorsement began building Tuesday, when two popular Grand Rapids restaurants - Donkey Taqueria and The Winchester - posted messages on Facebook denouncing the chamber for endorsing a candidate that "doesn't recognize the rights of all Michigan citizens under the Elliott-Larson Civil Rights Act."

Donkey Taqueria and The Winchester share the same owner, Paul Lee.

"We're disappointed," said Vince Lambert, the co-owner of Creston Brewery, who emailed the chamber Wednesday to cancel his membership with the organization.

He said Schuette has a record of supporting policies that have been "discriminatory" toward women, people of color, the LGBT community - the very people his brewery serves and employs.

"We felt that crossed a personal line for us," Lambert said.

The owners of West Michigan Caterer and The Apartment Lounge, a gay bar in downtown Grand Rapids, also withdrew their membership from the chamber.

In a statement, Schuette said Michigan "must be a place where we grow our recovering economy and ensure there is no room for discrimination of any kind, because all people must be treated with dignity, grace and respect."

"We will work together to protect everyone, including employment protections and religious liberties. It's been done elsewhere," he said. "It's the 21st century, we can do it here, too. We believe all sides must be brought to the table to talk in a welcoming environment for everyone involved. Changes to law in Utah are one example of the ability to find a way forward but I would be listening to the people at the table to find Michigan's way forward, including the folks at Founders and others."

In addition to Founders, more than 80 people - most of whom had completed Leadership Grand Rapids, a program created by the chamber - have signed an online petition criticizing the endorsement, and asked that it be rescinded.