Across America candidates running for office – from governorships, to the Senate, and up to the White House — are scapegoating and endangering the LGBTQ+ community through vile legislative action and rhetoric.
See more below.
Presidential Candidates
Donald Trump and Mike Pence are both known bigots and their administration was a disaster for LGBTQ+ rights.
Ron DeSantis opposed the Respect for Marriage Act and signed the “Don’t Say Gay” bill. He has also called to restrict gender affirming care in Florida and has worked to minimize and remove acknowledgements of Florida’s LGBTQ+ community.
Tim Scott opposed marriage equality and voted against the Respect For Marriage Act.
Nikki Haley said Florida’s “Don’t Say Gay” bill did not go far enough in attacking LGBTQ+ people and their families.
Senate Candidates
Kari Lake (Arizona): Lake opposes protections for LGBTQ+ workers, called “transgenderism” a “mental condition” and has attacked drag queens, despite attending numerous shows herself.
Mark Lamb (Arizona): While running for Sheriff, Lamb excused discrimination against the LGBTQ+ community and vowed to protect people who spread bigoted homophobia.
Rick Scott (Florida): Scott’s 11-Point Plan to Rescue America “denies the existence of transgender people” and “calls for several anti-LGBTQ federal laws.”
Jim Marchant (Nevada): Marchant has claimed that being gay is a choice and while in the state assembly voted against legislation that protects LGBTQ+ rights.
Bernie Moreno (Ohio): Moreno opposes legislation at the federal level that would make it illegal to “fire, deny housing to or exclude from services someone based on their sexual orientation or gender identity.”
David McCormick (Pennsylvania): McCormick ran anti-trans ads during the 2022 Republican U.S. Senate primary, despite boasting about his hedge fund’s inclusivity, including full paid coverage for gender confirmation surgery.
Ted Cruz (Texas): Cruz said that the Supreme Court was “clearly wrong” when it decided to legalize marriage equality. He also voted against a bill that would have codified protections for same-sex couples at the federal level. Just this month, Cruz called for an investigation into Bud Light for its advertising collaboration with a transgender influencer.
Tom Tiffany (Wisconsin): Tiffany voted against the “Respect For Marriage Act” which would prevent any state from preventing marriage based on sex.
Gubernatorial Candidates
Daniel Cameron (Kentucky): Cameron praised Trump for blocking protections that expanded to LGBTQ+ workers and students, and is campaigning on trying to oust the Commissioner of Education for making Kentucky classrooms more accepting of the LGBTQ+ community.
Mark Robinson (North Carolina): Robinson called LGBTQ+ people “filth” and that he wanted to ban marriage equality, saying “marriage is between one man and one woman.”
Greg Gianforte (Montana): Gianforte signed a bill stating gender is only male and female.
Published: Jun 1, 2023 | Last Modified: Feb 7, 2024