On Feb. 26, in light of revelations regarding GOP U.S. Senate candidate August Wolf, Connecticut Democrats issued a statement condemning my party. I adamantly disagree with the Connecticut Democrats and their characterization of the Connecticut Republican Party. This one individual is not representative of our party. I have been active in the state party for several years, and my sexuality has never been an issue.
Connecticut Republicans are an inclusive party focused on setting our state on the right track. Hyperbole and attempts to smear the CT GOP because of the behavior of one Republican is ludicrous and opportunistic. I have attended numerous Republican Party events, both here and nationally. This one ‘bad apple’ is not representative of my party as a whole. I recently ran as an endorsed Republican candidate in my hometown of Middletown, and the party welcomed me.
Perhaps had the Connecticut Democrats reached out to me before going on the attack, they could have been enlightened by my experiences within the party. Unfortunately, the Democrats do not believe it is legitimate to be both gay and conservative, and therefore I am dismissed without a second thought. I am not the only gay member of the Connecticut Republican Party, and I have not heard of systemic bias in the party as the Democrats assert. Unlike the Democratic obsession with divisive identity politics, the GOP doesn’t feel the need to focus on ‘hyphenated Americans.’ I am not a gay-American; I am simply an American citizen.
Democrats believe they have a monopoly on the votes of the LGBT community, but they ignore groups like the Log Cabin Republicans. They belittle homosexuals such as myself who dare to think for themselves and don’t vote for their liberal agenda. The Connecticut Democrats assert that the CT GOP must stand up to “hatred and bigotry” within it’s ranks.
This is a fallacy. I was the one who came forward, and I am the one standing up for myself. This has nothing to do with the state party. It has to do with a dysfunctional campaign where I was mistreated.
I will not allow the Connecticut Democrats to besmirch my party as a whole because of my personal experiences. It is ignorant and shortsighted, not to mention cruel. They should focus on the ballooning deficit we’re experiencing in Hartford. There are more important things for the parties to be debating than one person’s experiences on a single campaign.