Former President Donald Trump is looking to take LGBT voters away from President Joe Biden before the general election, the Washington Examiner reported.
Former first lady Melania Trump on Saturday is set to host a fundraiser with the Log Cabin Republicans, which says it's "the nation's largest Republican organization dedicated to representing LGBT conservatives and allies."
"For more than 40 years, we have promoted the fight for equality through our state and local chapters, our full-time office in Washington, D.C., and our federal and state political action committees," the group says on its website.
Ric Grenell, former ambassador to Germany, also will appear at the fundraiser. Grenell is the first openly gay person to serve in a Cabinet-level position, according to the Examiner.
The Examiner noted that LGBT voters made up about 7% of the the electorate in the 2020 general election. The Examiner said 93% of the demographic voted that year.
The demographic now comprises 8% of the adult population, while more than 20% of people in Generation Z identify as LGBT.
About 14% of gay votes went to Trump in 2020, more than double in 2016, the Examiner reported.
Charles Moran, president of the Long Cabin group, said he believes Trump can significantly increase LGBT voters this year. Moran cited Trump's appointment of Grenell, Trump's 2019 commitments to end the HIV epidemic, and a global push to end the criminalization of homosexuality.
"The mainstream media and even the gay media doesn't report on this now because there's this narrative that exists that Donald Trump is anti-gay," Moran said.
He added that Trump was the first president to support gay marriage before being sworn into office.
"Let's not forget to look at who Donald Trump is as an individual. This is a man who has a long history — philanthropically, businesswise, and politically — supporting LGBT inclusion," Moran said. "He talks publicly about how he went to Studio 54 back in the day, and how he had a lot of gay friends in New York social circles, and in the '80s, he had a lot of friends that died because of HIV/AIDS."
A poll of 600 LGBT voters found that 54% said they will vote or are leaning in favor of Biden; 28% said they "definitely" plan or are leaning toward voting for Trump.
"LGBTQ+ voters are a force to be reckoned with. They were critical to our victory in 2020, and they will be critical to winning again this November," Biden campaign manager Julie Chavez Rodriguez said in a statement.
"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."
Jeffrey Rodack ✉
Jeffrey Rodack, who has nearly a half century in news as a senior editor and city editor for national and local publications, has covered politics for Newsmax for nearly seven years.
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