"Brandon Riker, one of several out Democrats in the race, has chosen not to engage the memo on its own terms. Instead, he is rejecting the premise beneath it. "I don't think there are people who are going to support me or not support me because I'm openly gay," he said in an interview with The Advocate."
"What voters ask him about, he said, is far more immediate: the cost of groceries, the price of gas, whether they can afford to stay where they live."
In California's 48th Congressional District, a primary race is testing whether LGBTQ+ identity is a political liability for Democrats. The district features a diverse field of candidates, including Ammar Campa-Najjar and Marni von Wilpert. A controversial campaign memo suggested LGBTQ+ candidates might struggle outside Palm Springs, prompting backlash. Brandon Riker, an openly gay candidate, argues that voters prioritize immediate issues like cost of living over sexual orientation. His stance challenges broader Democratic concerns about LGBTQ+ electability in the upcoming election cycle.
Read at Advocate.com
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