Gay Conservatives Attack Pro-Gay Senate Hopeful

Conservative gay group GOProud released an ad Wednesday opposing Tom Campbell, the only Republican senate candidate from California who supports marriage equality, over his refusal to sign a pledge not to raise taxes. Convinced that the moderate candidacy will divide Republicans in the way that Dede Scozzafava split a New York congressional race last year, GOProud executive director Jimmy LaSalvia declared that, "Tom Campbell is Dede without the dress."

The 30-second ad, called "Wrong on Taxes," will air initially on the Web, but GOProud plans to take it to television and radio, according to an announcement from the group. The ad attacks Campbell for his moderate positions, exemplified by his approach to taxes.

"The more Republican primary voters learn about Tom Campbell, the more it will become clear that his nomination would be a disaster for our party," said LaSalvia in the GOProud news release. "Tom Campbell's candidacy would divide the Republican Party at a time when we need to be united to turn back Barbara Boxer and her Democratic colleagues' radical left wing agenda on Capitol Hill."

Campbell, a former Congressman, will face state assemblyman Chuck DeVore from Orange County and former Hewlett-Packard CEO Carly Fiorina in the Republican primary in June. The three are vying for the chance to unseat incumbent Sen. Boxer in the November general election.

Watch the ad below.