Nevada GOP Removes Opposition to Gay Marriage and Abortion From Platform

LAS VEGAS - The Nevada Republican Party stripped opposition to abortion and gay marriage from its platform Saturday as state convention delegates instead focused on judging fellow Republicans on their worthiness to serve in office and adherence to GOP values.

The platform, with few changes, was adopted overwhelmingly as the Las Vegas convention stretched late into the evening.

The vote mirrors that of the Clark County GOP, which voted earlier to remove platform language defining marriage as between a man and a woman and statements opposing abortion.

Many Republicans are re-evaluating their strong stances on conservative social issues as public opinion shifts in favor of legalizing same-sex marriage. The topics have become a political liability for the GOP, especially among younger voters.

Some in the party, such as Assemblyman Ira Hansen, R-Sparks, panned efforts to scrub platforms of statements on social issues, saying it would further alienate the socially conservative GOP base.