Gay Republican group endorses Donald Trump for re-election
Donald Trump (NICHOLAS KAMM/AFP/Getty)
A gay Republican group has endorsed Donald Trump for re-election, claiming that he has followed through on changes that “benefit the LGBTQ community”.
In an op-ed for the Washington Post, Robert Kabel and Jill Homan of Log Cabin Republicans praised Trump for what they see as advances in LGBT+ rights that have occurred under his leadership.
In particular, the group praised Trump for committing to “eliminate” HIV/AIDS earlier this year.
“This scourge decimated a generation of gay men in the United States and continues to inflict pain, suffering and death at home and abroad,” Kabel and Homan wrote.
The group claimed tax-cuts have ‘benefited LGBTQ families’.
Elsewhere, they praised Trump for cutting taxes, which they claim have “benefited LGBTQ families and helped put food on their tables”.
“What benefits all Americans benefits the LGBTQ community, as we cross every racial, socioeconomic, religious and cultural divide,” the Log Cabin Republicans continued.
However, Kabel and Homan’s op-ed also hit out at Trump for introducing the transgender military ban earlier this year, and said they will “press the administration to reconsider.”
The Log Cabin Republicans’ endorsement of the sitting president may come as a surprise to some, as the group has been critical of a number of Trump’s LGBT+ policies during his time in office.
What benefits all Americans benefits the LGBTQ community, as we cross every racial, socioeconomic, religious and cultural divide.
In 2017, the group said the transgender military ban would “weaken our readiness”.
In the same year, the Log Cabin Republicans criticised education secretary Betsy DeVos when she reversed policies introduced by the Obama administration that gave protections to transgender children. Writing at the time, the gay Republican group said they had “deep concerns” with the change.
The Log Cabin Republicans refused to endorse Donald Trump in 2016.
In 2016, the Log Cabin Republicans refused to endorse Donald Trump for the presidency. In a statement released at the time, the group said Trump had surrounded himself by senior advisors that had a record of opposing LGBT+ rights.
The decision to endorse the sitting president this time around may also come as a surprise to some after the group appointed Trump critic Jerri Ann Henry as its head last November.
This is not the first time the Log Cabin Republicans have made a surprising endorsement. Last year, they threw their support behind Brian Kemp in the Gubernatorial election in Georgia. The endorsement was criticised by some because Kemp supported “freedom to discriminate” laws which allow faith-based organisations to discriminate against LGBT+ employees.
