Washington state congressional Dem challenger faces LGBTQ backlash over omission

A Washington state Democrat hoping to unseat a longtime member of Congress is facing a revolt from within his own party after he said he removed LGBTQ+ rights from his campaign website for fear of alienating Muslim voters.

Seattle Red is in first place reported Democratic organizations were reconsidering their support for Melissa Chaudhry, a progressive Democrat challenging longtime Rep. Adam Smith, D-Wash., in Washington’s 9th Congressional District after comments she made during a supporting interview with The Stranger.

When asked why the website didn’t mention LGBTQ+ issues, Chaudhry replied, “Because unfortunately many Muslims don’t feel that way.” Foreign.

The comments quickly sparked backlash from Democratic LGBTQ+ activists, with Washington State Stonewall Democrats calling on organizations to reconsider and rescind their support of Chaudhry.

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“His comments are disqualifying because they reveal a deliberate choice to conceal his stance on LGBTQ+ rights while actively seeking Democratic approval,” Andrew Ashiofu, president of Washington State Stonewall Democrats, told Fox News Digital.

“Everyone running as a Democrat must be brave enough to stand with our community. When a candidate chooses concealment over openness, it raises serious concerns about honesty, integrity, and compliance with core Democratic values,” he added.

Ashiofu said the organization is urging the groups to reconsider their endorsements because “transparency and trust are fundamental to the Democratic endorsement process.”

“If a candidate admits to obscuring core civil rights positions or tailoring their messaging to avoid acknowledging LGBTQ+ individuals, that undermines the integrity of every organization that supports them in good faith,” he said. “Democratic groups deserve full honesty from candidates, and we believe his comments warrant a reconsideration of any support he has received.”

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The Greater Seattle Business Association marched during the Seattle Pride Parade in Seattle last month. (Lindsey Wasson/AP Photo)

Washington State Stonewall Democrats called on organizations supporting Chaudhry, including the 11th, 33rd, 37th and 43rd District Democrats, to reconsider their support.

Ashiofu also told Fox News Digital that neither Chaudhry nor his campaign had contacted the organization since the controversy became public.

“Our position is clear: LGBTQ+ rights are not optional within the Democratic Party. They are fundamental,” he said.

“Candidates seeking democratic support must be willing to defend our community openly, consistently and without hesitation,” Ashiofu continued. “If a candidate admits to concealing his or her stance or misleading voters and supporting organizations, that is a breach of trust. Democratic organizations must hold candidates to the highest standards of transparency and integrity because our community deserves nothing less.”

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US Congressional candidate Melissa Chaudhry and her husband, retired US Army mental health specialist Muhammad Zahid Chaudhry, attend a memorial ceremony where hundreds of pro-Palestinian protesters gathered in Washington on September 8, 2024. (Tayfun Coşkun/Anadolu, via Getty Images, File)

The debate moved beyond LGBTQ+ issues after The Stranger also reported that Chaudhry plans to run as a Democrat before switching to the Green Party if elected to Congress.

The outlet also reported that he asked that the information not be made public during the approval process.

This statement raised additional concerns among local Democratic leaders.

District 33 Democrats discussed changing their charter because current rules do not allow for repeal once approved, The Stranger reported.

Conservative radio host and Seattle commentator Jason Rantz, who first covered the debate over Seattle Red, said the disagreement underscores competing priorities within the Democratic coalition.

“Democrats built their coalition on the promise that every marginalized identity group would win at the same time, and Melissa Chaudhry proved that banner doesn’t always work,” Rantz told Fox News Digital.

“When intersectionality forces progressives to rank Muslim voters against LGBTQ activists, someone is being thrown overboard. Now the same party that preaches inclusivity is rewriting its own charter to purge one of its own, because in the so-called Olympics of oppression, there’s always a loser on the podium.”

In his post about X, Chaudhry pushed back against criticism and insisted he has supported LGBTQ+ rights throughout his life.

“For the record: I have supported full equality for LGBTQ+ people my entire life – not since this campaign started. My entire life,” she wrote.

Rep. Adam Smith, D-Wash., speaks at a news conference in Washington. D.C. (Picture Alliance via Johannes Neudecker/Getty Images, File)

Chaudhry said that her only sibling is LGBTQIA+, that she helped start her high school’s Gay Straight Alliance “back when we had to keep the meeting place secret for our own safety,” and that one of her closest friends was “a disabled lesbian woman who raised her family against great stigma.”

“This is not a topic for me to talk about. This is the fabric of my life,” he wrote.

Chaudhry also accused the media of misrepresenting his words, writing: “The media, which ignored three years of rape and death threats against a federal candidate, is now operating on a lie. I set the record straight with my own voice.”

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He also said the atmosphere during the confirmation hearing contributed to his remarks, describing the meeting as hostile, according to The Stranger.

Smith, who has represented Washington’s 9th Congressional District since 1997, faces multiple opponents in the Democratic primary, including Chaudhry.

Chaudhry’s campaign did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.