For years, Republican strategists used the gay-marriage ballot initiatives as a wedge issue to increase voter turnout among social conservatives. Now that strategy is beginning to backfire as the tide of public opinion turns on the issue. In 2012 it brought out the voters who think all Republicans are homophobes and racists. Can we please try to shake off that image of our party? We will not win elections until we do, and Democrats will take us ever closer to government control of everything.