D.C. Republican hope: Bob Kabel says his election as the first openly gay head of a Republican Party committee is part of a larger GOP trend.

When Washington attorney and political activist Bob Kabel was elected chair of the D.C. Republican Party Committee in December, it was no secret that the 58-year-old former Reagan administration appointee is gay. He has been active in the Log Cabin Republicans for 12 years and even appeared on the cover of The Advocate in 1996.

Kabel's election marks the first time an openly gay man is leading the equivalent of a statewide GOP body. Coming on the heels of an election where opposition to marriage rights for gays and lesbians was used as a political wedge by Republican candidates, Kabel's appointment was widely considered an anomaly. But in an interview with The Advocate, Kabel says it's part of a long-term effort to win over the GOP.

Considering the November election, it would seem unlikely for an openly gay man to be elected GOP party chief.

I earned it. I have been actively involved in the D.C. Republican Party for years. I ran the ward organization, I raised money, and I chaired the campaigns of local Republican candidates. And I chaired a group which drafted a new platform for the D.C. GOP that included a plank which opposes any constitutional amendment on marriage. We are the first and only state Republican Party to take that stand.

What has been the reaction to your election?

It's been remarkably positive. I have had many unsolicited offers of help from individuals who have not been involved in the D.C. party for years, if ever. Some are interested in becoming volunteers, and others want to give money.

Is the D.C. GOP different from those in the 50 states?

Yes. D.C. Republicans run the spectrum on social and economic views.

Will other party chiefs work against you?

I don't anticipate any problem. From decades of experience I can tell you that in the ranks of the hundreds of party leaders all over the country, there is a remarkable openness to understanding the lives of gay people. Gay people have a job to do in educating and reaching out to them. I think a lot of what we saw in 2004 was a result of our failure to do that enough.

Did Republicans successfully use same-sex marriage to win in 2004?

Having been involved in Republican Party politics for decades now, I have never seen a more concerted, effective grassroots effort than was developed and implemented by the national GOP over the past two years, beginning well before the gay marriage issue. It was a ground game that was much more about organization than about hot-button issues.

You once helped David Catania get elected as the first openly gay Washington, D.C., city councilman. What do you say about his recent decision to leave the Republican Party over the gay marriage issue?

David is a friend and always will be. I hope we can mend fences with him and have him rejoin the local party. The D.C. Republican Patty is the home for people like David.

You've said that gay Americans have made a "mistake" by not working within the GOP. But how can they when so many national GOP leaders are antigay?

If you set aside the gay marriage issue, which is problematic with both Democrats and Republicans, gays have made progress in the party. We succeeded in developing solid relationships with many congressional offices on all sorts of important issues that don't get enough attention. Clearly there is more work to be done, but working within a party is the only way to make measurable and lasting change.

There are those who say the challenge is too great and that you won't be able to get much done.

I've been faced with this before. When we opened the Log Cabin national office they all laughed at us. They said we'd never be noticed in national politics. We went on to be front-page news in every election year after that. I'm thrilled to be challenged again.