Romney Senior Advisor Backs Marriage

Former Romney campaign senior advisor Dave Kochel has endorsed marriage equality as part of an Iowa event intended to draw young people to the Republican Party.

Kochel helped to organize an event for the Iowa Republicans for Freedom. Monday, January 28th, the group will sponsor an event with Ken Mehlman, a former Republican National Committee Chairman and key adviser to former President George W Bush. Mehlman has become an outspoken advocate for marriage for same-sex couples. The event held at the Davis Brown Law Firm atrium in Des Moines will feature Mehlman’s vision of what he thinks his Republican Party should look like in the future.

No Republican presidential candidates came out in favor of same-sex marriages during the 2012 cycle, including Romney, Kochel’s candidate. But Kochel now admits, “The culture wars are over. And the Republicans, largely, lost.” Kochel wants his party to embrace what he considers a changing national demographic, where the majority now supports equal rights for marriage. He hopes to help lead Iowa Republicans in discussions to embrace that shift.

We have to wonder if Kochel took part in the decision for Romney to sign NOM's hate pledge and whether today's move is just opportunism. (Tipped by JMG reader Sarah)