PORT ANGELES — The Clallam County Republican Party has postponed its annual Lincoln Day Dinner by a month and replaced attorney general candidate Reagan Dunn as speaker in response to a backlash over his support of same-sex marriage.
Dick Pilling, county party chairman, said he wasn’t selling enough tickets with Dunn as speaker, noting that party supporters were declining to attend because of the scheduled speaker’s stance on the controversial issue.
“The Lincoln Day Dinner is my major fundraiser for the year,” he said.
“If people are not inclined to come and listen to him, I got to get a new speaker.”
The dinner, which was scheduled for Saturday, is now set for March 9.
Baumgartner to speak
State Sen. Michael Baumgartner, a Spokane Republican who is challenging Sen. Maria Cantwell, D-Mountlake Terrace, will be the speaker.
The dinner will begin at 5 p.m. at the Red Lion Hotel, 221 N. Lincoln St.
Tickets cost $50 per person and $95 per couple.
In the state Senate, Baumgartner serves on the Ways and Means Committee, the Higher Education Committee and is a ranking member on the Economic Development Committee.
Dunn, a Republican King County councilman, voted last month for a county measure to support same-sex marriage.
Since then, invitations issued to him to speak at Lincoln Day dinners in Whatcom and Franklin counties have been rescinded.
Dunn has said he believes same-sex marriage is in line with the party’s support for personal freedom.
Pilling said that view is not supported by the party’s platform.
“The Republican platform is that marriage is defined, or should be defined, as one man, one woman,” he said.
Dunn is not alone.
Four Republicans in the state Senate crossed party lines to vote for the same-sex marriage bill Feb. 1. Baumgartner voted against it.
The bill, which passed 28-21, is now being considered by the House.
Pilling said the party’s central committee, because of the lackluster sales, voted to delay the dinner and seek a replacement early last week.
He said he had planned to keep Dunn as speaker after he announced his support for same-sex marriage, noting that he still agrees with him “85 percent” of the time.
A Dunn spokesman declined to comment.
Reservations to the dinner can be made by phoning 360-417-3035.
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Reporter Tom Callis can be reached at 360-417-3532 or at tom.callis@peninsuladailynews.com.