News

Gay Republican Takes Leadership Role in New York GOP

Log Cabin President Appointed Vice President, Issues Chair in NYC

March 8, 2002

(WASHINGTON, DC) – Further cementing a strong working relationship with the Mayor of the nation's largest city, Gay Republicans moved further up in the ranks of the Republican Party of New York as Log Cabin Republicans New York City President David Jackson was named Vice President of the New York County Republican Committee, as well as Issues Chair for the party of Mayor Mike Bloomberg (R) in the city's largest borough of Manhattan.

The move makes Jackson the highest ranking openly gay person ever appointed to a party office in New York GOP history.

"This is a major step forward for the Republican Party of New York, for a gay Republican and the leader of Log Cabin in New York City to be given this leadership role in the city GOP," said Tom Wahl, President of Log Cabin Republicans New York State. "It is a testament to the winning, inclusive vision of Mayor Mike Bloomberg and Governor George Pataki, and their steadfast support for the gay and lesbian community of New York."

The appointment comes as Governor Pataki (R) prepares to launch his 2002 re-election campaign, and Mayor Bloomberg enters his third month in office after a narrow election victory in November. Both Republicans are staunch supporters of gay rights issues, and have made outreach to the gay and lesbian community a priority.

"We're very proud of David, and of the New York chapter, in the strides they continue to make in such an important state," said Rich Tafel, executive director of Log Cabin Republicans in Washington, D.C. "The Republican Party has never been stronger in New York, because it is led by Republicans who understand that inclusion wins."

Jackson has been a member of Log Cabin Republicans New York City since 1996, and worked on the mayoral campaigns of Mayor Rudolph Giuliani (R) in 1997 and Mayor Bloomberg in 2001. Before being elected President of Log Cabin Republicans NYC he served as Outreach Chairman, coordinating efforts at building coalitions between a cross-section of leading HIV/AIDS and gay organizations and the Giuliani and Bloomberg Administrations. He is also a graduate of Princeton University and the School of Management at Yale.Log Cabin Republicans New York State has chapters and organizing committees in New York City, Rochester, Hudson Valley, Long Island and the Capital District of Albany.