Marc Racicot ( pronounced ROS-coe ) , the former governor of Montana and a close friend of President George W. Bush, was named as chairman of the Republican National Committee Dec. 5.
Racicot is a traditional, not a social conservative. As governor he enacted a nondiscrimination policy for state employees that included sexual orientation. He supported efforts to repeal the state's sodomy laws in 1993. And he exercised leadership in condemning the murder of Matthew Shepard in neighboring Wyoming. All of those actions raised the ire of the religious right.
A year ago, when the rumor mill had him slated to become Attorney General, social conservatives launched a powerful assault against the westerner. Then when conservative Dan Coats imploded as a possible nominee to head up the Pentagon, and Bush chose Donald Rumsfeld for that post, many believe that the President felt politically obligated to nominate a social conservative to a major cabinet position. He selected John Ashcroft to be Attorney General.
Racicot "gets that inclusion is a winning strategy," said Kevin Ivers, spokesman for Log Cabin Republicans. The group "has a good, long relationship" with the incoming chairman dating back to 1995. Ivers said that Racicot is comfortable with gay people and had a number of them working on his staff when he was governor.
"This appointment hopefully signals that the GOP is moving in a more moderate direction that will embrace all Americans," said Winnie Stachelberg, political director of the Human Rights Campaign.
"That it [ Racicot's appointment ] happened on the same day that [ Pat ] Robertson resigned, is not lost on any of us," said Ivers. "It is hugely significant that Robertson is cutting loose from the Christian Coalition, because that will be the end of it. The symbolic value is that they are on the way out."