Gay Republican Group Demands Apology From Santorum

GOProud, a gay-rights oriented Republican organization, issued a statement Thursday night demanding an apology from Rick Santorum after the Presidential candidate neglected to thank a gay soldier for serving in the U.S. military.

The soldier, Stephen Hill, made a video appearance during Thursday’s GOP debate and asked the candidates if they would reinstate Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell if elected. The video was met with jeers by some in the crowd and Santorum stated that sexual activity should not be a part of military service.

“That brave gay soldier is doing something Rick Santorum has never done – put his life on the line to defend our freedoms and our way of life,” the statement reads. “It is telling that Rick Santorum is so blinded by his anti-gay bigotry that he couldn’t even bring himself to thank that gay soldier for his service.”

The organization goes on to point out that Hill served in Iraq, a war that Santorum, a former Senator from Pennsylvania, backed while in office.

“How can Senator Santorum claim to support this war if he doesn’t support the brave men and women who are fighting it?” the statement asks.