A Missouri Republican told voters to not be "weak and gay" in a campaign ad that provoked both confusion and outrage on social media this week.
"In America you can be anything you want, so don't be weak and gay," said Valentina Gomez in a video posted this week to X, the platform formerly known as Twitter. "Stay f-ing hard."
Gomez, 25, is one of several candidates running for the Republican nomination for secretary of the state. She has a history of making controversial comments targeted at the LGTBQ community - including posting a video to social media where she used a flamethrower to "burn all books that are grooming, indoctrinating and sexualizing our children."
The real estate developer's latest video was filmed as she ran through the Soulard neighborhood of St. Louis, which is known for its large gay population, according to LGBTQ magazine, the Advocate.
The Republican Party in Missouri has a history of opposing LGBTQ+ advocacy. Missouri Governor Mike Parson and Senate Majority Floor Leader Caleb Rowden have both publicly supported anti-LGBTQ laws that would ban transgender children from accessing gender affirming health care and playing on sports teams that align with their gender identity.
Gomez also tagged British influencer and former kickboxer Andrew Tate in her "weak and gay" campaign ad. Tate, who is currently facing sex trafficking charges in Romania, has been described as the "king of toxic masculinity" in many news outlets.
"This is David vs. Goliath," Gomez wrote about her own campaign, in a post pinned to her profile on X. "You're either a Patriot or a traitor."
