By Doug Abrahms
Gannett News Service

ELECTION 2004

Convention coverage • Ohio GOP's woe • Davis gets NY minute • GOP touts moderates • Gay activists won't push floor fight • Laura Bush's star is rising • Ohioans get special treatment • Notes from New York • Convention blog watch • Convention photo gallery More election news • Election special section

NEW YORK - Gay Republican activists Monday abandoned plans for a convention floor fight over the party's official position against same-sex marriages after realizing they lacked the support to change it.

Amending the Constitution to ban gay marriages has strong support from President Bush.

The party officially adopted its position supporting the constitutional ban last week. Gay Republicans had hoped to bring the issue to a full debate on the floor of the Republican National Convention.

But Patrick Guerriero, executive director of Log Cabin Republicans, acknowledged that the group did not have enough votes to do so.

"It's kind of hard to have a floor fight when you don't have the numbers," said Roberta Combs, president of the Christian Coalition of America. "I don't think (gay Republican activists) represent many of the delegates."

In frustration, Log Cabin Republicans, a gay rights group, started running TV ads Monday in New York that challenge the GOP delegates to be more tolerant of gay rights or risk losing support from moderates.

"The radical right is pushing a divisive and bigoted social agenda," Guerriero said. "We are here today as fair-minded Republicans, fighting back against the far right."

But Combs said Log Cabin Republicans fought this issue four years ago and lost then, too. Most Americans believe a marriage is between a man and woman, she said. "I think a majority of Americans feel that way."