Despite being absent from her husband’s campaign trail in recent months, Melania Trump took part in a fundraising event for Log Cabin Republicans over the weekend. It took place at Mar-a-Lago in Florida: the mansion home she shares with her husband, Donald.
Log Cabin Republicans is an organization for LGBTQ+ GOP voters. Top price tickets for Saturday’s event cost $50,000, according to Page Six.
LCR claims the event raised around $ 1 million. Funds will go toward helping Donald Trump and other ‘Make American Great Again’ politicians get elected in November.
Among those to attend Saturday’s event was Caitlyn Jenner and failed senatorial candidate Dr. Mehmet Oz.
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Richard Grenell
Melania Trump was introduced at Saturday’s event by Richard Grenell. The gay diplomat was formerly the US ambassador to Germany under Donald Trump. He was also the acting director of National Intelligence between February and May 2020. He is one of Donald Trump’s biggest, gay cheerleaders.
Ahead of Saturday’s event, Melania Trump spoke to Fox News Digital. She said, “We must unite in our effort to establish a society where equality is the everyday experience of every American. Individual freedom provides a unifying set of principles, and ultimately establishes our American way.
“Together, we must nourish and safeguard the seeds of liberty,” she continued. “Because, when successful, America blossoms into a magnificent place where everyone can practice their beliefs, share new ideas, and express individualism — this is when we are our best.”
Grenell told the same outlet that Republicans have grown “increasingly welcoming of gay conservatives over the last 20 years.”
“But we made the most progress when Donald Trump and Melania Trump moved into the White House.”
A video shows Jenner and Oz among the audience for Melania’s speech.
Melania Trump begins her speech last night to the Log Cabin (LBGT+) Republicans at Mar-a-Lago. pic.twitter.com/cB4EvSCVN5
— Ron Filipkowski (@RonFilipkowski) April 21, 2024
“Gay and lesbian voter outreach”
Co-host Bill White called the event, “the launch of the single most important and unprecedented gay and lesbian voter outreach initiative of any Republican presidential nominee in US political history.
“We are so grateful to Mrs. Trump for her strategic leadership and making this initiative one of her top priorities for the 2024 presidential campaign.”
As we look toward the future and the challenges that lie ahead, we must come together around the principles of liberty, justice, and patriotism. By uniting in our common goals, we can create a brighter and more promising future for all. https://t.co/Vbyt8yor8X pic.twitter.com/Kj4fZPKDaw
— MELANIA TRUMP (@MELANIATRUMP) April 21, 2024
Before the event took place, Caitlyn Jenner tweeted, “I am proud to be supporting this incredible organization @LogCabinGOP tomorrow with so many incredible people, who all realize we must unite, and put people over politics once and for all this November!”
I am proud to be supporting this incredible organization @LogCabinGOP tomorrow with so many incredible people, who all realize we must unite, and put people over politics once and for all this November! https://t.co/RN7k0SwjYq
— Caitlyn Jenner (@Caitlyn_Jenner) April 19, 2024
Jenner’s support for the Republican Party continues despite Donald Trump banning trans people from serving in the military while he was in office. It also comes as Republican-led states continue to pass anti-trans laws, including measures to prevent gender-affirming care for minors and preventing trans women from competing in women’s sports.
What percentage of LGBTQ+ voters support Trump?
In 2016, an estimated 14% of LGBTQ+ voters voted for Donald Trump in the election. Seventy-eight percent voted for Hillary Clinton. In 2020, an estimated 81% voted of them for Joe Biden.
According to a GLAAD survey last month ahead of this year’s election, “LGBTQ likely voters prefer President Joe Biden over Donald Trump by +53 percentage points nationwide (68% Biden / 15% Trump) and by +57 percentage points in seven current close contest states: Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, Nevada, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin.”
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