That may sound like an April Fool’s prank post, but in reality, there are two-count them- two, GOP candidates running for president who support gay marriage. Not a joke.

Fred Karger, who I heard interviewed on Gay USA some weeks ago is an openly gay man no less, and he just won the New Hampshire straw poll.

Some 208 of the 322 Republicans who voted 208 described their views as “moderate” or “conservative.” More than 200 said that economic issues such as jobs, taxes, and spending were the chief issues facing the country heading into the 2012 election. Only 15 voters listed social issues, the category that traditionally encompasses LGBT rights, as their main concern.
Winning the poll, the first in the cycle in the important primary state, could provide a significant boost to Karger, a California gay rights activist known for his work to investigate Mormon contributions to Proposition 8. He was the first Republican candidate to declare for 2012.

This post about Karger, posted March 21 is a pretty good run down on why this guy is one to watch. Seriously, I’m not sure what I would do if this guy actually became the GOP nominee. Even if he became President, all those who are GOP in the House and Senate are not going to become pro-LGBT overnight. Still, what his campaign will do in terms of drawing attention to LGBT issues and especially his work uncovering the role of big anti-gay donors. It may even be enough to make a certain sitting President start to walk the walk in terms if Equality, rather than rely on talking the good talk.

Johnson believes government should not intervene in the private lives of individual citizens unnecessarily.“Government shouldn’t be involved in our lives,” Johnson says in an Our America Initiative video. “It should protect us from individuals that might do us harm. But government should really be out of our lives for the most part. Let us enjoy the freedoms and liberties that we have. Let us be the individuals that we might want to be.”But while various sources, including Fox News, POLITICO.com and the New Mexico Independent, report that Johnson is a “strong” supporter of gay marriage, his own website disagrees.A page devoted to civil rights at the Our America Initiative website notes that “Governor Johnson does support gay and civil unions. However, he does not support gay marriage.”

Unlike Karger, Johnson’s position may not be so crystal clear, but still, he is a Republican who may be more supportive of gay relationships than many elected Democrats. And it is still early- most candidates  (including Johnson) haven’t yet even officially announced their candidacy. One very not so LGBT friendly candidate, Roy Moore, is likely to illustrate the GOP hate towards gays that we more commonly expect.

Gary Johnson, A Gay Marriage Supporter, Running For President | On Top Magazine :: Gay & Lesbian News, Entertainment, Commentary & Travel.

http://www.advocate.com/News/Daily_News/2011/04/01/Karger_Wins_NH_Straw_Poll/