Friend,

I have several very clear reasons why I’m running for Congress, and today, I want to get to the heart of the matter: replacing House Majority Leader Steve Scalise.

Scalise’s record is not just troubling—it’s dangerous. He harbors an outright disdain for significant portions of his own constituency, with a deep-seated disregard for African American and LGBTQ communities.

In 2014, during an interview with Louisiana journalist Stephanie Grace, Scalise described himself as “David Duke without the baggage.” If you’re unfamiliar with David Duke, he is the former Grand Wizard of the Ku Klux Klan—a name that’s sadly well-known here in Louisiana, especially after his serious bid for governor in the 1990s. Scalise’s statement translates to this: “I’m just as committed to white supremacy, but without the public ties to the KKK.” He’s become the perfect Trojan horse for the white power movement—a man who legitimizes their dangerous ideologies from within the halls of Congress.

But the David Duke connection doesn’t end there. In 2002, Louisiana political blogger Lamar White Jr. uncovered posts on a white supremacist website revealing that Scalise spoke at an event hosted by the European-American Unity and Rights Organization, a group founded by Duke himself.

When it comes to people like me—LGBTQ individuals—Scalise’s hate is palpable. As a transgender person, I know firsthand the damage inflicted by leaders who believe we have no place in American society. Scalise’s record speaks for itself: he has one of the most anti-LGBTQ reputations in Congress. He opposed repealing Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell, fought against including sexual orientation in hate crime legislation, and condemned the Supreme Court’s landmark ruling on same-sex marriage. His voting record earned him a zero rating from the Human Rights Campaign, a clear indicator of where he stands.

• Voted against the Equality Act, a national LGBTQ anti-discrimination law, and the Respect for Marriage Act which requires the US federal government to recognize the validity of same-sex and interracial marriages.
• Voted against including LGBTQ victims of domestic violence in 2013 Violence Against Women Act.
• Condemned Supreme Courts Obergefell v Hodges which held same-sex marriage bans violate the constitution.
• Supported a constitutional amendment to ban federal recognition of same-sex marriage.When it comes to people like me—LGBTQ individuals—Scalise’s hate is palpable. 
  

Simply put, hate groups like the KKK and Proud Boys have no better ally in Congress than Steve Scalise. This is why we must remove him from office this November. We cannot allow him to continue representing our state and our country with such a destructive agenda.

Friend, will you stand with us in this fight? A donation of just $10 can help us build the infrastructure needed to get out the vote and take Scalise down:

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Americans are waking up to the dangerous plans that extremists like Steve Scalise and Donald Trump have for our nation. But to stop them, we need to act—now.

In Solidarity,

Mel Manuel