Catania was one of the 'Austin 12,' a group of gay Republicans who met with then candidate Bush in 1992 and endorsed his election. He raised more than $75,000 for Bush's reelection earlier in this campaign cycle but broke with the President over the FMA. That cost Catania his slot as a delegate to the convention and a seat on the platform committee.

'George Bush made the promise to be a uniter not a divider but he took the hottest cultural issue in this country and divided the nation right down the middle. He did that for crass political purposes. This is not about partisanship, this is about preserving the Republic.

'I've come to believe that the 'big tent' is a big lie, and I've stopped fooling myself about it,' Catania said. 'There is no place for gays and lesbians within a Republican Party that is adversely dominated by Southern white men.'

Catania also struck out at a Bush administration that has 'turned its back on cities,' refuses to raise the minimum wage, and is willing to allow the ban on assault rifles to expire. He said Kerry's record on gay issues was reason enough to support him.

Steve May, a former state representative in Arizona, was scheduled to participate in the conference call as endorsing Kerry. However, he did not participate and the DNC was at a loss to explain his absence. They claimed that Chris Sebesy, chair of a county Republican county organization in Pennsylvania also is endorsing Kerry, and that others 'will be announced.'

'Let's be honest, people are very reticent to displace their sense of place,' Catania said in acknowledging few other Republican names of those endorsing Kerry. 'Maybe people know better at this point than to tell me they are supporting George Bush, but I have yet to run into a gay Republican who is telling me they are voting for Bush.'