Republicans speak of their party as "a big tent" with diverse demographics and varied views. Prominent members of Michigan's branch, however, show discomfort with a polarizing official who represents their party nationally.
Gov. Rick Snyder is among the latest to condemn harsh comments about same-sex marriage by Republican National Committee member Dave Agema.
"The governor believes Mr. Agema's remarks are wrong, extreme and discriminatory," press secretary Sara Wurfel tells a Lansing e-newsletter, MIRS News. "We shouldn't tolerate discrimination of any kind. There shouldn't be room for that in any political party, period."
Update, 5 p.m. Wednesday: A spokesman for House Speaker Jase Bolger says the senior Republican in the Legislature "is disgusted when someone demonizes another person for any reason."
Separately, State Rep. Al Pscholka, R-Stevensville, says Agema "crosses the line when criticizing one’s sexual orientation and engaging in discrimination and intolerance. Everyone should be treated with dignity and respect." In a statement Weednesday, the legislator says Agema used his recent "platform to be divisive and disrespectful, which does not reflect the views of the vast majority of Republicans."
The governor, Bolger, Pscholka and others are responding to Dec. 5 comments by Agema, a former three-term state representative (2007-13) from Grandville on the state's west side.
"Folks, they (gay people) want free medical because they're dying (when they're) between 38 and 44 years old," he said at a Berrien County party event. "To me, it's a moral issue. It's a biblical issue."
"Those in our party who oppose traditional marriage are wrong," Dave Agema restated last week.
In his latest comments on the topic, Agema restated: "I stand for traditional marriage, no homosexual ones. The family unit is the basic unit in society. When you tear the family apart, you tear the country apart. . . . Those in our party who oppose traditional marriage are wrong."
His provocative comments originally were reported by Louise Wegge of The Herald Palladium newspaper in St. Joseph, who attended the holiday reception. The paper Wednesday afternoon posted an audio clip and transcript of the controversial portion, as well as audio of the full remarks, to show "Agema's words were not taken out of context," as he claimed.
In an email to supporters Tuesday, Agema reacted to internal critics. ""I was simply making a point about my opposition to same sex benefits and for traditional marriage," he writes. "I stand by my words as I said them, despite efforts by others to twist the meaning of those words."
The feisty Republican says party members attacking him want "to advance their own agendas." That's apparently aimed partly at Paul Welday, a Lansing political consultant and party chairman in the 14th Congressional District of Metro Detroit, who sent an email Tuesday saying party activists ignore Agema "at our peril."
Dan Pero, who was chief of staff and campaign manager for former Gov. John Engler, posted on Facebook Tuesday afternoon: ""Every Republican -- indeed, every Michiganian -- should reject Agema's silly, bigoted comments in the strongest terms."
Agema won a four-year national committee term with 69 percent of delegates' votes at a May 2012 state party convention. "Agema will be ousted as RNC member in 2016," party activist Max Rothbart of West Bloomfield posted on Facebook Tuesday.
Earlier Deadline Detroit coverage:
Agema Fits With 'Lester Maddox and George Wallace,' Past Engler Aide Says, Dec. 10
