WASHINGTON ( CNN ) -- A key architect of Republican Sen. John McCain 's 2008 presidential campaign has urged conservatives to drop their opposition to same-sex marriage . Steve Schmidt served as Sen. John McCain 's presidential campaign manager in 2008 . In a speech Friday to Log Cabin Republicans , a conservative gay rights group , Steve Schmidt said allowing same-sex marriage is in line with the conservative credo of keeping government out of people 's private lives . `` There is a sound conservative argument to be made for same-sex marriage , '' Schmidt , who was McCain 's campaign manager , told the group . `` I believe conservatives , more than liberals , insist that rights come with responsibilities . No other exercise of one 's liberty comes with greater responsibilities than marriage . In a marriage , two people are completely responsible to and for each other . '' He added : `` If you are not willing to accept and faithfully discharge those responsibilities , you should n't enter the state of matrimony , and it does n't make a damn bit of difference if you 're straight or gay . It is a responsibility like no other , which can and should make marriage an association between two human beings more fulfilling than any other . '' Schmidt told CNN that the GOP must become more open if it wants to reverse a shrinking coalition , especially among younger , more accepting voters . Watch more of Schmidt 's take on the GOP » . `` People are turned off in large measure by what they see as intolerance coming out of the party , '' he said . Schmidt says he knows his is a minority view . In the presidential campaign , McCain ran against same-sex marriage . `` I do n't honestly expect our party will reverse in the very near term its opposition to same sex marriage . Nor do I yet see support for it from a strong majority of the general public , '' Schmidt told the Log Cabin Republicans . `` And , I do believe that such a highly charged political question such as this should be settled by the freely expressed will of the people , and not by the courts . '' So what will change Republicans ' mindset ? `` One of the things that has definitely impacted my views on these issues and an evolution of thought over time is having a gay sibling , '' Schmidt told CNN . `` As Americans get to know gay couples and or have gay family members , or work associates ... they come to understand that these relationships are deep and worth being respect and being protected . '' Log Cabin Republicans say they hope other party leaders now realize that election losses prove the GOP catered too much to social conservatives . `` It 's great that the Republican Party is going through this soul-searching at this moment right now , '' said Charles Moran , president of the Los Angeles chapter of the Log Cabin Republicans . `` Republicans are thinking outside the box . '' These days , their grassroots organization is reaching out to sympathetic Republicans in states debating same-sex marriage initiatives , such as New Hampshire . Recently , Iowa and Vermont approved same-sex marriages . In April , the District of Columbia Council voted to allow same-sex marriages from around the country to be recognized there , though the measure still needs to be debated in Congress . All legislation in the district must pass congressional muster . And just Thursday , New York Gov . David Paterson , a Democrat , said he plans to introduce a bill in the state Assembly to legalize same-sex marriage . And this week , another Republican group -- GOProud -- formed to push a broader agenda , advocating traditional conservative issues such as low taxes and smaller government . `` There 's this misconception that if you 're gay , you 're liberal ... just like there 's a misconception that if you 're conservative , you 're a bigot , '' said Jimmy LaSalvia of GOProud . Gay Republicans say they often get asked a basic question : Why are you Republican ? Most argue that they believe in the principle of limited government . In fact , nearly 3 in 10 self-identified gays and lesbians voted Republican in the last presidential election , according to exit polling . But while Schmidt admitted that it will be a tough challenge for the party to accept same-sex marriage , there could be hope down the road . `` I 'm confident American public opinion will continue to move on the question toward majority support , and sooner or later the Republican Party will catch up to it , '' he told the gathering . `` And I believe the nation 's acceptance of same sex unions as lawful marriage would provide a far more secure guarantee that the change made to this profoundly important social institution will be permanent than would judicial fiat . '' CNN 's Evan Glass and Ed Hornick contributed to this report .
Steve Schmidt served as Sen. McCain 's presidential campaign manager . He is a former chief of staff to President George W. Bush and deputy director for policy planning at the White House National Security Council. Conservatives should embrace same-sex marriage , Schmidt told the group . The party , he argued , will grow by accepting gay rights .