Maine Republicans adopted four changes to their party platform Saturday, including a provision to protect National Guard members from deployment without an official declaration of war by Congress.
Sen. Eric Brakey, R-Auburn, put forward the “defend the guard” language that’s modeled after actions taken in Texas, New Hampshire and Georgia.
“There has been no declaration of war for many decades and yet our guardsmen from our states have been sent overseas into wars that never end with no mission and no end in sight,” he said.
The language now in the official party platform calls for Republicans to promote the idea that the Maine Legislature can prohibit the guard from being called into foreign conflict unless Congress declares war.
The National Guard language was adopted alongside language calling for a “free press without censorship or undue bias” and the prohibition of encouraging “social transition practices” in schools.
They also approved encouraging efforts to change the way state senators are apportioned.
The platform discussion came on the second day of the two-day convention and gave delegates from across the state a chance to weigh in on topics as various as the gold standard, the death penalty, same-sex marriage and pornography.
Penny Morrell of Belgrade and former Rep. Heather Sirocki of Scarborough offered language to challenge a new law passed by Democrats in the Legislature to shield health care providers from legal actions by those in other states.
“In Maine, gender-altering surgeries and abortion should not be a ‘legal’ right,” it read. “Maine should never be a destination state for activity that is illegal in another state.”
Ultimately, the delegates rejected adding the language to call for the repeal of LD 227, which seeks to protect those who provide gender-affirming care and abortion.
Nearly all those who spoke said they oppose the new state law, but they voted against the proposed language because it was too long and confusing.
The delegates also rejected an attempt to acknowledge legal same-sex marriage, while still defining marriage as the union of one man and one woman.
Patricia Keyes of Swanville said Republicans risk losing support from Christians if they move toward approving same-sex marriage.
“It’s well known that when you start allowing same-sex and gender confusion into the platform, you lose 12 percent of the Christian voters who will not support the party,” she said.
Maryanne Hawkes of Poland said Republicans don’t want government interfering with their private lives.
“Many fiscally conservative Republicans have unenrolled due to this issue, we need to win them back,” she said. “I feel it’s time for the Republican Party to move on from this issue.”
By voice vote, the delegates soundly defeated the proposed amendment. They also rejected an attempt to reinstate the death penalty, prohibit the production of pornography in Maine and adopt the gold standard.
The platform includes principles such as lowering taxes, reducing government regulations and “encouraging individual initiative.”
It also states a pledge to defend the right to bear arms and support policies that prohibit school personnel from withholding information about student identity changes and health care services.
When it comes to voting, the platform calls for requiring photo identification at polling places. Republicans on Saturday announced a new effort to gather signatures to call for a citizen vote on voter ID.