Gays-rights proponents and opponents ramped up their rhetoric for and against Jon Huntsman Jr. on Wednesday — two days after Utah’s Republican governor revealed that he backs civil unions and other rights for same-sex couples.

“After that initial shock, I was incredibly impressed with him,” said gay-rights advocate Jacob Whipple, who staged a candlelight vigil outside of the Governor’s Mansion on Wednesday night to show support for Huntsman.

But earlier in the day, at the Capitol, opponents criticized the governor’s stance, which includes support for traditional marriage but also rights for same-sex couples.

“He is simply dead wrong on this issue,” said Frank Mylar, an attorney who belongs to the Utah Coalition

 See ‘Pro-family’ groups scold Huntsman; gay-rights advocates laud him.
Salt Lake Tribune, United States 

Gays-rights proponents and opponents ramped up their rhetoric for and against Jon Huntsman Jr. on Wednesday — two days after Utah’s Republican governor revealed that he backs civil unions and other rights for same-sex couples.

“After that initial shock, I was incredibly impressed with him,” said gay-rights advocate Jacob Whipple, who staged a candlelight vigil outside of the Governor’s Mansion on Wednesday night to show support for Huntsman.

But earlier in the day, at the Capitol, opponents criticized the governor’s stance, which includes support for traditional marriage but also rights for same-sex couples.

“He is simply dead wrong on this issue,” said Frank Mylar, an attorney who belongs to the Utah Coalition

 See ‘Pro-family’ groups scold Huntsman; gay-rights advocates laud him.
Salt Lake Tribune, United States 

Former Ohio Secretary of State and U.N. ambassador Ken Blackwell is in the running to chair the RNC, according to the Washington Times. Blackwell is also a senior fellow at the Family Research Council, the anti-gay fundie organization.

From the story: “In a letter to RNC members announcing his candidacy, Mr. Blackwell notes that he ‘vocally opposed tax increases offered’ by his state’s Republican governor and ‘helped to successfully lead the fight to amend the Ohio Constitution to ban government recognition of same-sex marriages.’”

Basically, Blackwell is responsible for Ohio’s gay marriage amendment. Both senators from Ohio opposed the too-broad measure, fearing it would eventually affect civil unions, domestic partner benefits and legal contracts between gays. Blackwell lobbied hard for the measure, and it passed in 2004.

Blackwell writes a column for Townhall.com. Here is just one example of his anti-gay ways.

 See Homophobe to head the RNC?
Washington Blade, DC 

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger opposed Proposition 8, has openly hoped that courts will now overturn it and has encouraged opponents to “never give up.”

In the process, he’s ignited a battle within his own party.

Christian conservatives are using him as a foil, to claim that they, not the Republican governor, represent the party base.

That Schwarzenegger is “condoning street protests and supporting judicial activist scams to overturn a popularly approved state constitutional amendment approaches advocacy of anarchy,” said an action alert from the Family Research Council, which urges conservatives to contact Schwarzenegger’s office.

With Republicans out of power in both houses of Congress and the White House, party faithful are focusing on the future of the GOP. It’s a position that’s pitting some Republican moderates - including Schwarzenegger - against social conservatives.

Some GOP leaders believe the social conservatives are holding the party back. Christie Whitman, the former head of the Environmental Protection Agency under President Bush, co-wrote a Washington Post opinion piece that said the party has been held hostage to social conservatives. She described Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin’s selection as Arizona Sen. John McCain’s vice presidential candidate as a “cynical sop to social fundamentalists, reinforcing the impression that they control the party, with the party’s consent.”

Sen. Susan Collins of Maine, Sen. Lamar Alexander of Tennessee and Rep. Peter King of New York - all moderate Republicans - each won re-election in a tough year. Each has said the party needed to broaden its base. All three are under attack for saying so.

“What doesn’t work is drawing a harsh ideological line in the sand,” said Collins.

See Guv becomes target of conservatives