Granite Staters MUST Reject the Hate of the NHGOP
Mowers, Messner, NHGOP demonstrate that their embrace of homophobia, transphobia are anti-Granite State values
Chris Sununu, Corky Messner, Matt Mowers, and Steve Negron all continue to support Trump, who is the single biggest threat to LGBTQ+ rights our country faces. Since Trump took office, he has rolled back anti-discrimination protections in housing, health care, and employment; opposed the Equality Act; and appointed anti-LGBTQ+ judges who could outlaw marriage equality. Now, with the confirmation of Judge Barrett to the Supreme Court, Trump has the votes to finally overturn marriage equality.
Like Trump, Sununu has participated in his party’s attacks on the LGBTQ+ community. He supported his Party’s Platform that includes “marriage as the legal and sacred union between one man and one woman as ordained by God,” denying equal status of LGBTQ+ Granite Staters. New Jersey’s Matt Mowers, one of the NHGOP’s Congressional candidates, oversaw the adoption of that same extremist platform when he served as Executive Director of the NHGOP party, and was named “most anti-LGBTQ politicians running for office” by LGBTQ Nation. Colorado’s Corky Messner, the NHGOP’s Senate candidate, has attacked the Trans* community by calling Trans* folks “horrific.” Steve Negron, the other NHGOP Congressional candidate, supports dangerous anti-LGBTQ+ conversion therapy and said he was “honored” to receive the endorsement of the right-wing, anti-LGBTQ Family Research Council, a group so extreme that the Southern Poverty Law Center has designated it a hate group.
Here in New Hampshire, we value the contributions and human dignity of all people. But some of the NHGOP candidates don’t seem to get that. Last week, an NHGOP candidate for State House, former Representative Anne Copp, attacked the Chair of the New Hampshire Log Cabin Republicans (LGBTQ+ Republicans) because he is married to another man. At last week’s WMUR debate, Matt Mowers, attacked Congressman Chris Pappas because he is gay. We expect more from each other — and we should expect more from our candidates. Mowers’ views are outside the mainstream in New Hampshire. After all, we are the first state that passed marriage equality without a court order, over a decade ago.
Sadly, this behavior does not surprise us: the NHGOP refuses to even acknowledge settled law, such as the Supreme Court rulings in Windsor v. U.S. (2013), Obergefell v. Hodges (2015), and NH’s own Marriage Equality law, which was passed in 2009. The NHGOP even went so far as to revoke the convention credentials of its own former chair, Jennifer Horn, when she sought to use the state party’s platform to recognize the equality of LGBTQ+ Granite Staters in 2018.
While we do not agree on most policy issues with our friends across the aisle, we stand in support of anyone who seeks to respect the humanity and dignity of New Hampshire’s LGBTQ+ community. Sununu, Mowers, Messner, Negron, Trump, and their enablers do not represent Granite State values.
We have fought for decades as a community to get to where we are today. The progress we have made was brought about by activists, community members, voters, and elected leaders who have worked for change. That’s why on November 3rd, we must vote for candidates who will protect and expand the rights of the LGBTQ+ community, not roll back the clock. Vote for Joe Biden, Jeanne Shaheen, Dan Feltes, Chris Pappas, Annie Kuster, and Democrats up and down the ticket. Vote for dignity, vote for humanity, vote with pride against those who seek to do harm to your fellow Granite Staters.
-The New Hampshire Stonewall Democrats Executive Board: Ryan Richman, Joshua Query, Kelly Boyer, and Molly Cowan