Rhode Island's Republican Party split over social issues last night at a GOP state committee dominated by social conservatives. The party's state central committee, meeting at the Newport Best Western hotel,  voted 39 to 28 against a platform pushed by party moderates.

At issue was a platform that called for traditional  Republican goals of smaller government and lower taxes but specifically avoided any mention of such prickly social issues as gay marriage, illegal immigration and abortion.

``This is a slap in the face to social conservatives,'' said Philip Hirons of Smithfield.

And Jon Conradi, president of the state chapter of college Republicans, was upset that anti-abortion language was not included in the platform. ``I don't see in a state with more than 50 percent Catholics that we can't have a pro-life platform.''

Conradi is a Providence College student.

But moderates argued that the to be successful at the polls, Republicans must stick to core economic issues. ``This is a document that can attract support from 51 percent of the voters,'' said Rob Manning of Charlestown, chairman of the platform committee.

On social issues, the proposed platform  stated, ``In the long standing tradition of New England Republicans, we respect the right of all of our candidates to hold and express their own considered views on social issues.''

Last night's vote sent the platform back to the platform committee for further study. The committee hopes to have a revised platform back to the full central committee in time for the February meeting of the central committee.

Another touchy issue was  term limits. A proposed term limit platform plank was struck out at the last minute. Term limits were opposed by the party's elected officials, including House Minority Leader Robert Watson, R-East Greenwich. Watson, who has served the Assembly for 20 years, said, ``the voters can term limit meat any election.''