'You can't just keep slapping the rainbow lipstick on a pig here,' Charles Moran says
Log Cabin Republicans president anticipates GOP makes further strides with gay community in 2024
Log Cabin Republicans Charles Moran spoke with Fox News Digital about former President Donald Trump's support among the gay community.
Gay Trump voters are shattering the Democratic Party’s "lie" that the LGBT community only votes blue, the president of the Log Cabin Republicans told Fox News Digital.
"Donald Trump is providing an opportunity for everybody to have an equal shot on a fair playing field. And that's what it comes down to at the end of the day. LGBT voters don't need to be pandered to. We don't need to be marginalized. We just need to be given the same opportunity for success, and for freedom, and for liberty as everybody else," Log Cabin Republicans President Charles Moran told Fox News Digital in a Zoom interview earlier this week.
"Donald Trump is the only candidate who's making that happen," he continued. "There's no assumption … of us being in a discounted or a diminished state."
The Log Cabin Republicans is the nation's oldest and largest organization of LGBT Republicans, with over 10,000 members across the country, including 80 chapters in 40 states, Moran said. Though the group's base focuses on centrist and center-right gay voters, Log Cabin Republicans also has strong support from suburban women and youths.
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President Trump and first lady Melania Trump walk on the south lawn of the White House on December 23, 2020. (Tasos Katopodis/Getty Images)
Throughout Moran's interview, he stressed that Trump, in conjunction with former first lady Melania Trump, is spreading a message of unity while vowing to implement policies that benefit all Americans, regardless of skin color, gender or sexual orientation.
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Trump has made massive strides in courting the gay community in his previous campaigns, with Moran anticipating again increasing the number of gay voters supporting the GOP this year. In 2016, Trump only received 14% of the gay vote, but he doubled that statistic to 28% in 2020.
Log Cabin Republicans President Charles Moran (Charles Moran)
"This is a year where we can absolutely drive those LGBT numbers up, and I'm going to shoot for as close to 50% as possible. And the really important thing here is that shatters the stereotype that if you're gay you have to be a Democrat. We know that not to be true as much, as the left wing and mainstream media want to keep pushing that lie. It's just not true. Nearly a third of the LGBT voters in the last election voted for Republicans, both for either President Trump or for congressional Republicans," he said.
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The Trump campaign told Fox News Digital that Trump's commitment to curbing inflation and addressing spiraling crime rates if re-elected will benefit all Americans.
"By bringing down inflation and the skyrocketing cost of living, cutting taxes, and restoring law and order in our communities, President Trump's second term agenda will create a safer and more prosperous America for ALL Americans, regardless of gender, sexual orientation, race, religion, or creed!" Karoline Leavitt, the Trump campaign's national press secretary, said.
American flags and a pride flag hang from the White House before a Pride Month celebration on the South Lawn, June 10, 2023. (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta)
Moran noted that amid efforts to earn a greater share of gay votes, members of the LGBTQ community have become disenchanted with the Democratic Party’s "virtue signaling" and "pandering."
"I think one of the biggest things that we've seen in 2024 is that the era of virtue signaling and pandering is coming to a very quick halt. You saw corporations during Pride Month really cut back and curtail on some of the over-the-top virtue signaling that had been going on because they got called out on it, mocked and shamed for that inauthenticity back in 2023. I don't think any of those corporate CEOs wanted to go back into that in 2024. So I'm really in a strong position at this point to let Republicans know: Just be authentic with it, because the Biden administration has been taking an ever-increasing role of the pandering and virtue signaling," Moran said.
President Biden (AP/Evan Vucci)
He pointed to the White House’s pride month event last year, when a trans activist went topless on the South Lawn, as well as the White House flying a progress flag, which he called the "bastardized version of the traditional rainbow flag," while flanked by American flags last year. The White House quickly condemned the trans activist for the nudity stunt, as footage of the scene from the South Lawn went viral.
"It's turned into a mockery," he said of recent "pandering" at the White House.
"It is worse now under Joe Biden internationally to be gay. The lives of our brothers and sisters in the Middle East and in other parts of the world, in Africa and the Caribbean and some places in Southeast Asia, it is now worse and more dangerous than it was under Donald J. Trump."
When asked if Biden or Trump has better policies that benefit the gay community, Moran did not hesitate when answering, "Trump." He cited that Trump is the "first president ever elected in history that supported LGBT marriage, marriage equality on day one," that the 45th president has made it easier to be a gay voter in the Republican Party, that gay people across the world were at less risk of harm and discrimination under the Trump administration due to his foreign policies, and that the 45th president leaves pandering at the door in favor of authentic messaging.
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"LGBT voters have gotten to the point now, where they are mature enough and they're sophisticated enough to say, like, 'hey, it's not so much: do you support marriage equality, or some of these other LGBT rights issues?' It's a ‘are you … creating a condition as an elected official for me to be able to survive, to thrive, to raise my family, to run my business?’ And every one of the answers that keeps coming back is ‘no’ from these Democrats," he said.
Former President Trump speaks during a campaign event at Wildwood Beach in New Jersey, on Saturday, May 11, 2024. ( Hannah Beier/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
"At some point, you can't just keep slapping the rainbow lipstick on a pig here. And that's exactly what the Democrats are trying to do with the pandering and the virtue signaling."
Moran conveyed that Biden has even worsened gay rights for people on the world stage with weak foreign policies.
"Under the Biden administration, it's actually gotten worse because of that lack of strong foreign policy presence, and because of the lack of America being willing to stand up for our morals and values on an international stage. It's actually gotten worse. What they've done to empower Iran, the releasing of the $10 billion and the consideration of doing it again, absolutely has an impact in our world. Where they're executing gays and lesbians regularly for being who they are," he said.
"It is worse now under Joe Biden internationally to be gay. The lives of our brothers and sisters in the Middle East and in other parts of the world, in Africa and the Caribbean and some places in Southeast Asia, it is now worse and more dangerous than it was under Donald J. Trump," he continued.
Biden-Harris 2024 spokesperson Kevin Munoz told Fox News Digital on Wednesday that "LGBTQ+ Americans couldn’t have more at stake this election: Donald Trump and his extremist allies are running to gut LGBTQ+ rights and erase history as their top priorities."
"LGBTQ+ Americans deserve leaders who will fight for every American’s freedom and dignity. That’s what President Biden and Vice President Harris have done throughout their time in office, and what they will do if reelected, including pressing Congress to pass the Equality Act. There has never been a more critical time to protect the rights of all Americans, no matter who you love or how you identify, and [President Biden is running] to not just safeguard, but strengthen the rights and voice of every single American," Munoz continued.
Melania Trump (AP Photo/Chris Carlson)
News broke this week that former first lady Melania Trump will join the Log Cabin Republicans for her second campaign fundraiser with the group this summer and her fourth fundraiser with them overall. Moran said that Melania Trump is "an amazing ally" and communicator who spreads the message of "unity."
"She really knows that inclusion does win and that unity is one of the most important things that we have going for us in this country. And that's kind of the tone that she's set with a lot of the coalitions this year, in terms of bringing Americans together. And we know that under Joe Biden, it doesn't matter if you're gay or you're straight, if you're black or you're white, or you're Asian, if you're Christian, if you're Jewish or you're Muslim, life is worse for you now under Joe Biden and his failed leadership than it was under Donald Trump. And that's something that we can all rally around," he argued.
Supporters of former President Trump gather for a weekend Trump rally on the Jersey Shore beachfront on May 11, 2024, in Wildwood, New Jersey. (Andrew Lichtenstein/Corbis via Getty Images)
Melania Trump will join the Log Cabin Republicans in Manhattan on July 8, with donations benefiting the group's "Road to Victory" program to boost voter turnout for the GOP.
Moran reflected on President Reagan's mantra that "80% my friend is not 20% my enemy," which he said is embraced by the Log Cabin Republicans as they look to broaden the GOP vote.
"You don't have to agree with us on all of our public policy points, but if you agree that we have a place in the party, or that America is a place where LGBT people can and should have the same rights and responsibilities as every other person, we can work with you on that. And that's what we're going to do to have a lasting, durable majority in the Republican Party."
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