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Des Moines attorney Doug Gross.
Doug Gross, a Des Moines attorney and the GOP’s 2002 gubernatorial candidate, continued his tour of local media to promote his vision for the future of the Republican Party of Iowa by appearing this week on Christian conservative radio host Steve Deace’s drive-time program on WHO 1040.
On Deace’s program, as he has in recent weeks on Iowa Public Television’s “Iowa Press” and WHO-TV’s “The Insiders,” Gross said the GOP’s job is to win elections, something that is becoming increasingly harder with the power being wielded by social conservatives.
“Social conservatives are a minority group within a minority party,” he said. “If we aren’t broad enough the interests of social conservatives will never be in governance.”
The Republican Party, both nationally and in Iowa, has become perceived as the party of excessive bigotry, “whether that be bigotry associated with immigrants or gay rights. We are not that party and we should not be that party. It turns people off. We can be a party of tolerance and respect other people’s views and still further our values.”
The discussion was civil until near the end of the two-hour segment, as Deace seemed to grow upset with what he perceived as the scapegoating of his fellow social conservatives for the misfortunes of the party.
“Your whole argument is a red herring,” Deace said. “Nero again blames the Christians for the fire he started… The people you’re crapping on are already doing what you want them to do.”
Gross said social conservatives would be able to accomplish their goals more easily if they have a broader tent and “aren’t as judgmental as Steve Deace appears to be.”
“I’m tolerant enough to allow people into our party that may not agree with me on [social issues,” Gross said. “If others did as well we’d have a better chance of winning elections and furthering our interests.”
“So what Doug just basically said is the best way to win is to be a hypocrite,” Deace said.
Gross, a self-proclamed social conservative himself, denied Deace’s interpretation. The two then argued for a few more minutes before Deace went to commercial, ending the discussion.
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