Richard Grenell, the openly gay man Mitt Romney tapped last month to serve as his campaign’s national security and foreign policy spokesperson, abruptly resigned Tuesday in the wake of a backlash over his sexuality. In a statement, he said “my ability to speak clearly and forcefully on the issues has been greatly diminished by the hyper-partisan discussion of personal issues that sometimes comes from a presidential campaign.” Social conservatives took issue with Grenell’s hiring, calling him “an ardent activist for same-sex marriage” and a “loose cannon.”