John,
When Mike Simpson voted against electing Jim Jordan for House Speaker, I was relieved. Jordan would have been a nightmare for Democrats, and Simpson took a hit from his Republican colleagues for blocking their pick.
But then Mike Johnson threw his name in the hat – and won unanimously.
My opponent has called Mike Johnson a “principled conservative” who he’s “proud” to have voted for. Here are some of Johnson’s principles:
Denying election results – Johnson spearheaded an effort by House Republicans to overturn the 2020 election results in swing states Biden won. He voted against certifying the results ahead of the Capitol attack on January 6, and he continued claiming the election was stolen afterwards.
Denying women’s bodily autonomy – He authored multiple bills aimed at restricting abortion access, and he’s suggested that Americans shouldn’t be allowed to have sex outside of marriage.
Denying that I and millions of others exist – Johnson called homosexuality and queer people “inherently unnatural” and argued that being gay or trans is a “bizarre choice” that should never be legitimized by any law.
But John, this “issue” – if you can call me or my family or my community an issue – goes beyond just words for Mike Johnson. He has spent the past TWO DECADES fighting against my right to marry, even going as far as the Supreme Court in two different cases. When that failed, he proposed writing special protections into law – but not for LGBTQ+ folks.
He wanted protections for homophobes, to legally shield them from any consequences for discriminating against same-sex couples.
If those are the principles Mike Simpson is proud to support, then not a single Idaho voter should be proud to support him.
I believe a better future is still possible for the LGBTQ+ community, for women, and for our children. If you do, too, then can you help me make it happen with a contribution today? Any amount helps.