Donald Trump Lost The Gay Republican PAC Endorsement | UNC

Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump lost a GOP ally Saturday when a gay PAC withheld its endorsement, despite praising him as the most pro-LGBTQ Republican nominee in history.

The Log Cabin Republicans PAC praised Mr. Trump for his overtures to the gay community in a statement on its website, but said its members are not single-issue voters. The New York businessman’s proposed ban on Muslim refugees and the allegations of sexual assault against him, among other issues, troubled the PAC’s board members, said Log Cabin Republicans President Gregory T. Angelo.

“The mission of the Log Cabin Republicans is to support equality for all Americans, and that means all Americans, writ large,” he said.

He added that Mr. Trump’s lack of a record in public office—a selling point for many voters eager to disrupt the status quo—makes it hard for the group to feel confident that that Mr. Trump would protect gay rights.

“There are so many unknowns with Mr. Trump,” Mr. Angelo said. “While some of the things he has said have been encouraging, he’s basically asking voters to trust him. Because he’s never held office before, there are no guide posts to rely on.”

The Log Cabin Republicans have endorsed every Republican nominee since Bob Dole in 1996 except for President Bush in 2004, because of his support for a constitutional amendment outlawing same-sex marriage in his re-election campaign.

After the mass shooting at an Orlando gay club in June, Mr. Trump cast himself as a champion of the gay community who would prevent anti-gay terrorists from entering the country.

Mr. Trump opposes same-sex marriage but has called the Supreme Court marriage equality ruling “the law of the land.”

Mr. Trump’s campaign did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Saturday.