inclusion_winsThe Michigan chapter of the Log Cabin Republicans is officially in suspended animation.

That’s the word from the president of the organization that represents openly gay Republicans.

“We’re basically a dormant chapter,” said Noel Siksai, who is describes himself as a “fiscal conservative, social moderate.”

But the dormancy of Michigan’s Log Cabin Republicans might lead to a battle to gain control of the group, said Joe Sylvester, a gay conservative blogger from Bay City.

The rift between Sylvester and Siksai became apparent in interviews following an announcement of a new conservative gay Republican group nationally.

Christopher Barron, a former member of the national Log Cabin Republicans — a right-leaning gay group affiliated with the GOP — created a 527 group for conservative gays called GOProud.

Barron, who is a former political director for LCR, told Politico:

Essentially, there’s no voice for gay Republicans or gay conservatives in particular in D.C. right now. Log Cabin has been completely and totally absent here in D.C. for months and months. It has simply moved way too far to the left and is basically indistinguishable from any other gay left organization.

And the Michigan chapter appears to be facing a similar movement of dissent.

Sylvester, who runs the blog The Michigan Conservative Dossier, said he remains a member of the Michigan Log Cabin Republicans and that he and a group are looking at ways to re-energize the group.

“We are meeting to proceed how to get the gay Republican movement alive in Michigan,” he said. “All options are on the table and have yet to be discussed.”

The formation of the 527 group “doesn’t affect Michigan Log Cabin Republicans, although I believe Barron’s description of the national organization as far as not being able to distinguish from other gay organizations is true of the Michigan organization which some are already working on remedying,” Sylvester said.

Sylvester said the current state chapter has not been active at all and said that the inactivity prevents the group from standing out from other lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender groups in the state.

Siksai said he is the only dues paying member as of now. In 2002-2003, the group claimed a mailing list of 300 and dues paying membership of 50. He said after 2004 there has been a “steady challenge” to get new members.

And while the group is more or less inactive, it did not keep Siksai from commenting about the Vermont same-sex marriage vote last week.