The chairman of the board for the Log Cabin Republicans of Texas tells NBC 5 their application for an exhibition booth at the Republican state convention was denied.
The Austin American Statesman reports that the vote was taken Saturday, and that no other group was unable to get a booth.
Log Cabin republicans are an LGBT conservative group. Michael Baker says they have been trying to get a booth at each state convention since 1998.
The State convention is held every other year; this year it will be in San Antonio.
βWe the members of the Log Cabin Republicans of Texas are obviously disappointed with the vote by the State Republican Executive Committee to not override a staff decision to deny our organization an exhibition booth at this yearβs state convention. Nonetheless, we respect the work of the SREC. These individuals are all unpaid volunteers of the Texas Republican Party who devote many hours of their personal time and money to the cause of the party. Some of those who did not vote in our favor are people whom our own members know personally and have been on friendly terms for many years. In these questions that stir up so much passion, we understand the heavy pressure and responsibility of weighing their judgment along what they perceive are the views of their constituents,β said Michael Baker, Chairman of the board, Texas Log Cabin Republicans.
NBC 5 reached out to the state Republican party. We have not heard back.