--- title: GOP Hopefuls Avoid Gay Marriage as Public Opinion Swings description: At the Conservative Political Action Conference, the silence on gay marriage was deafening. canonical: https://time.com/3727401/conservatives-mostly-silent-on-gay-marriage-at-cpac/ author: Sam Frizell article:opinion: false article:content_tier: free article:published_time: 2015-02-28T20:44:19.000Z article:modified_time: 2026-08-04T07:40:53.644Z article:section: Politics og:title: Conservatives Mostly Silent on Gay Marriage at Gathering og:description: They briefly noted their disapproval, then moved on to other topics. og:url: https://time.com/3727401/conservatives-mostly-silent-on-gay-marriage-at-cpac/ og:site_name: TIME og:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt1a919a8b5650173d/6987814306f2c1b5a133431d/ted-cruz-cpac.jpg?branch=production&width=3840&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 og:image:width: 1200 og:image:height: 675 og:image:alt: Ted Cruz CPAC og:type: article twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: Conservatives Mostly Silent on Gay Marriage at Gathering twitter:description: They briefly noted their disapproval, then moved on to other topics. twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt1a919a8b5650173d/6987814306f2c1b5a133431d/ted-cruz-cpac.jpg?branch=production&width=3840&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  # Conservatives Mostly Silent on Gay Marriage at CPAC ## Video: Real TIME: Jeb Bush at CPAC 2015 [Watch (HLS stream): Real TIME: Jeb Bush at CPAC 2015](https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/Opukemjy.m3u8) (0:59)  _Published 2015-02-27. Jeb Bush addressed his mother's comments, and outlined his views on immigration and the Common Core during his Q&A at CPAC 2015._ by [Sam Frizell](https://time.com/author/sam-frizell/) ## Sam Frizell Feb 28, 2015 8:44 PM UTC  Ted Cruz speaks on stage at CPAC in National Harbor, Md. on Feb. 26, 2015. Ted Cruz speaks on stage at CPAC in National Harbor, Md. on Feb. 26, 2015.Mark Peterson—Redux for TIME by [Sam Frizell](https://time.com/author/sam-frizell/) ## Sam Frizell Feb 28, 2015 8:44 PM UTC It’s a momentous time for gay marriage. Every few weeks a federal judge orders a state — [most recently, deep-red Alabama](http://time.com/3700709/alabama-judge-gay-marriage-roy-moore/) — to recognize same-sex unions, bringing the total to 37\. The Supreme Court [could expand that nationwide](http://time.com/3672582/supreme-court-gay-marriage-ruling/) with a ruling sometime this summer. But you wouldn’t know that from the discussions at a gathering of conservative activists this week. At the Conservative Political Action Conference near Washington, talk of gay marriage was either brief or nonexistent. When prospective candidates brought up the issue, it was to quickly note their disapproval before moving onto another topic. Gone were the fiery speeches of just a few years ago. “Marriage is a question for the states, and it is wrong for the federal government or unelected judges to tear down the marriage laws of the sates,” Texas Sen. Ted Cruz said in a brief response to a question by Fox News host Sean Hannity on Thursday. Attendees at CPAC, many of them young libertarians, are unenthusiastic about the family values moralizing that pervaded much of the conservative discussion on gay marriage over the past decade. At a small breakout session on marriage, some CPAC attendees loudly booed a speaker who advocated continuing the fight against marriage equality. “Any outright condemnation of gay people is not just a non-starter with general electorate, but also with the conservative base here at CPAC,” Gregory T. Angelo, executive director of the conservative gay-rights group Log Cabin Republicans, told TIME. “It’s something that doesn’t resonate.” ### Behind the Scenes of CPAC  Peter Dudziak of John, Minnesota attends CPAC in National Harbor, Md. on Feb. 27, 2014. Mark Peterson—Redux for TIME  Nine year old Thomas H. from Virginia at his first CPAC in National Harbor, Md. on Feb. 27, 2015. Mark Peterson—Redux for TIME  Sarah Palin at the 42nd annual Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) at National Harbor, MD on Feb. 26, 2015. Mark Peterson—Redux for TIME  Dr. Ben Carson gives a speech to open Thursday's session at CPAC in National Harbor, Md., on Feb. 26, 2015. Mark Peterson—Redux for TIME  Timothy Flynn from New York City poses in an American flag jacket at CPAC in National Harbor, Md., on Feb. 26, 2015. Mark Peterson—Redux for TIME  Rick Santorum takes a selfie with a supporter at CPAC in National Harbor, Md. on Feb. 27, 2015. Mark Peterson—Redux for TIME  A Rand Paul supporter at CPAC in National Harbor, Md., on Feb. 26, 2015. Mark Peterson—Redux for TIME  Rand Paul speaks at CPAC in National Harbor, Md. on Feb. 27, 2015. Mark Peterson—Redux for TIME  Sen. Ted Cruz shakes hands with a Sarah Palin supporter at CPAC in National Harbor, Md. on Feb. 26, 2015. Mark Peterson—Redux for TIME  A reporter asks attendees to choose their favorite candidate at CPAC in National Harbor, Md. on Feb. 26, 2015. Mark Peterson—Redux for TIME  CPAC attendees listen to Donald Trump in National Harbor, Md. on Feb. 27, 2015. Mark Peterson—Redux for TIME  Jeb Bush speaks at CPAC in National Harbor, Md. on Feb. 27, 2015. Mark Peterson—Redux for TIME  New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie gives a thumb's up at CPAC in National Harbor, Md. on Feb. 26, 2015. Mark Peterson—Redux for TIME  A supporter poses with a life-size cutout of Rand Paul at CPAC in National Harbor, Md. on Feb. 26, 2015. Mark Peterson—Redux for TIME  Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker at CPAC in National Harbor, Md., on Feb. 26, 2015. Mark Peterson—Redux for TIME  Retired neurosurgeon Dr. Ben Carson greets supporters at CPAC in National Harbor, Md., on Feb. 26, 2015. Mark Peterson—Redux for TIME  Former Republican Governor of Texas Rick Perry at CPAC in National Harbor, Md., on Feb. 26, 2015. Mark Peterson—Redux for TIME  Buttons for past Republican campaigns on display at CPAC in National Harbor, Md. on Feb. 26, 2015. Mark Peterson—Redux for TIME  Supporters watch Rand Paul speak at CPAC in National Harbor, Md. on Feb. 27, 2015. Mark Peterson—Redux for TIME  Donald Trump signs a Playboy magazine at CPAC in National Harbor, Md. on Feb. 27, 2015. Mark Peterson—Redux for TIME  Attendees applaud at CPAC in National Harbor, Md. on Feb. 27, 2015. Mark Peterson—Redux for TIME  An empty room ready for the Conservative Political Action Conference in National Harbor, Md., on Feb. 26, 2015. Mark Peterson—Redux for TIME One reason for the change at CPAC is the broader changes in public opinion. According to a Gallup poll taken in May last year, 55% of Americans believe same-sex marriage should be legal, with just 42% opposing. That’s a complete reversal of public opinion from 2004, when just 42% supported gay marriage and 55% opposed. Gay marriage was once a rallying cry for conservatives at CPAC, much as it was on the national stage. In 2006, then-Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist vowed at CPAC to pass a constitutional ban of gay marriage. Anti-gay marriage displays were much more common in previous years, such as one by the Traditional Values coalition in 2004, which featured a woman dressed as a bride serving wedding cake. Traditional Values’ chairman, a prominent conservative said at the conference that year, “Babylon is symbolic of promiscuity, hedonism and homosexuality,” [according to a report in Salon at the time](http://www.salon.com/2004/01/28/cpac%5F5/). Former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush, whose emerging presidential campaign has [attracted moderate voices](http://www.buzzfeed.com/mckaycoppins/jeb2016lgbtfriendly#.ce1OeyJ9Zq) on gay marriage, appeared reluctant to speak about the topic just days hiring as his director of communications the strategist Tim Miller, who is gay. Hannity asked Bush whether his views on the issue have changed. “I believe in traditional marriage,” Bush said curtly, without elaborating. It was a contrast even with CPAC in 2014, when former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum reached out to evangelicals, saying “I want to talk about reclaiming marriage as a good for society and celebrating how important it is for our economy.” This year, Santorum devoted his speech to ISIS and foreign policy. Young attendees at CPAC largely expressed support for gay marriage. One young attendee and activist, Drew Constable, was adamant. “Any two consenting adults should be able to marry,” Constable said. ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://time.com/3727401/conservatives-mostly-silent-on-gay-marriage-at-cpac/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/3727401/conservatives-mostly-silent-on-gay-marriage-at-cpac/"},"headline":"Conservatives Mostly Silent on Gay Marriage at CPAC","datePublished":"2015-02-28T20:44:19.000Z","dateModified":"2026-08-04T07:40:53.644Z","description":"Don't ask, don't tell","url":"https://time.com/3727401/conservatives-mostly-silent-on-gay-marriage-at-cpac/","keywords":["2016 Election","Gay Marriage","2016 Election topic","LGBT","CPAC","ted cruz","jeb bush"],"thumbnailUrl":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt1a919a8b5650173d/6987814306f2c1b5a133431d/ted-cruz-cpac.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"Sam Frizell","jobTitle":null,"url":"https://time.com/author/sam-frizell/"}],"articleSection":"Politics","image":[{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt1a919a8b5650173d/6987814306f2c1b5a133431d/ted-cruz-cpac.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","width":1200,"height":675,"headline":"Ted Cruz CPAC","caption":"Ted Cruz CPAC","creditText":"Mark Peterson—Redux for TIME","representativeOfPage":true}],"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Time","url":"https://time.com/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://time.com/images/logo.png","width":528,"height":156},"foundingDate":"March 3, 1923","sameAs":["https://www.facebook.com/time","https://www.instagram.com/time/?hl=en","https://twitter.com/time","https://www.pinterest.com/timemagazine"]}},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"item":{"@id":"/section/politics/","name":"Politics"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"item":{"@id":"/tag/2016-election/","name":"2016 Election"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"item":{"@id":"https://time.com/3727401/conservatives-mostly-silent-on-gay-marriage-at-cpac/","name":"Conservatives Mostly Silent on Gay Marriage at CPAC"}}]},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"VideoObject","name":"Real Time: Ted Cruz Rallies The Right At CPAC 2015","description":"Ted Cruz fired up the conservative base during his speech on the first day of CPAC 2015.","thumbnailUrl":"https://cdn.jwplayer.com/v2/media/KFQHEvq4/poster.jpg?width=720","uploadDate":"2015-02-26T21:46:04.000Z","contentUrl":"https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/KFQHEvq4.m3u8","embedUrl":"https://time.com/3727401/conservatives-mostly-silent-on-gay-marriage-at-cpac/","duration":"PT59S","potentialAction":{"@type":"SeekToAction","target":"https://time.com/3727401/conservatives-mostly-silent-on-gay-marriage-at-cpac/?jw_start={seek_to_second_number}","startOffset-input":"required name=seek_to_second_number"}},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"VideoObject","name":"Real TIME: Jeb Bush at CPAC 2015","description":"Jeb Bush addressed his mother's comments, and outlined his views on immigration and the Common Core during his Q&A at CPAC 2015.","thumbnailUrl":"https://cdn.jwplayer.com/v2/media/Opukemjy/poster.jpg?width=720","uploadDate":"2015-02-27T21:32:38.000Z","contentUrl":"https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/Opukemjy.m3u8","embedUrl":"https://time.com/3727401/conservatives-mostly-silent-on-gay-marriage-at-cpac/","duration":"PT59S","potentialAction":{"@type":"SeekToAction","target":"https://time.com/3727401/conservatives-mostly-silent-on-gay-marriage-at-cpac/?jw_start={seek_to_second_number}","startOffset-input":"required name=seek_to_second_number"}}] ```