Go away, Mike Huckabee: The culture wars are over — and hate and the GOP lost
"In many ways, this is the result of a deeply cynical Republican strategy to win the presidential election in 2004. To secure Bush’s reelection, the GOP made gay marriage a defining issue. They organized ballot initiatives in 11 states (two of which, Ohio and Michigan, were vital swing states) banning same-sex marriage. The chief goal, however, was not to actually ban gay marriage; it was to boost Republican turnout for the presidential election by galvanizing social conservatives. Karl Rove’s gambit worked: Bush won. But the victory came at a high cost. The Republicans have since been the anti-gay party. This puts them at odds with most of the country, particularly young Americans."
