Know Your Candidate: GLAAD’s Review of U.S. Senate Candidate Corey Stewart’s Anti-LGBTQ and Racist Record

NEW YORK – GLAAD, the world’s largest LGBTQ media advocacy organization, today urged media outlets covering the Virginia U.S. Senate race to include information on GOP candidate Corey Stewart’s extensive anti-LGBTQ and racist record as a public figure in Virginia politics.

Stewart, the former Virginia state chair for Donald Trump’s 2017 Presidential campaign and current Chairman of the Board of Supervisors of Prince Williams County, VA, built his public image in large part on championing Confederate symbols and condemning LGBTQ inclusivity.

Stewart has a long history of pushing blatantly anti-LGBTQ views under the guise of what he and other far-right conservatives call “family values.” He has vehemently condemned LGBTQ-inclusive sex education in schools, attacked and misgendered fellow Virginia politician Danica Roem, and vowed to sign a bill equivalent to North Carolina’s House Bill 2.

Prior to last year’s violent white supremacist protest in Charlottesville, Stewart attended a news conference and was photographed with Jason Kessler, the leader of the rally. Following the rally, which resulted in the tragic death of counter-protester Heather Heyer, Stewart argued that the group had nothing to apologize for.

President Trump, who has a long history of endorsing candidates with substantial anti-LGBTQ records, today congratulated Stewart on his victory. In 2017, President Trump endorsed GOP candidate Roy Moore for Alabama U.S. Senate amid numerous allegations of sexual predation and a shameful anti-LGBTQ record. However, the National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC) reportedly has no plans to endorse Stewart, despite Trump’s tweet expressing support.  GLAAD has compiled a list of Stewart’s anti-LGBTQ and racist record for media.

BACKGROUND INFORMATION: Virginia U.S. Senate Candidate Corey Stewart’s Anti-LGBTQ and Racist Record

— In his gubernatorial run, vowed to “absolutely prohibit any locality from…promoting transgenderism in any way, shape or form,” because, he insisted,. “It’s absolutely horrendously despicable.”

— Condemned LGBTQ inclusivity in public schools: “A decade ago when the lunatic left said there wasn’t a slippery slope culturally. Now these ‘tolerant’ peaceniks won’t allow your kids to opt out of classes on sodomy taught in public schools”

— Said of trans-inclusive curriculum: “The attack on family values continues. We must fight this.”

— Again on the subject of trans-inclusivity, insisted: Radical leftists HATE the family. States like California are exporting their attacks on traditional, American family values to Virginia. We must stop the hateful anti-family values agenda.”

— Misgendered and attacked fellow Virginia politician Danica Roem, asserting that “transgenderism” is a “war on on our culture” and “on our values”

— Has aggressively defended racist confederate monuments, writing: “No Robert E. Lee monument should come down. That man is a hero & an honorable man. It is shameful what they are doing with these monuments,”…“After they tear down Lee & Beauregard, they are coming for Washington & Jefferson #HistoricalVandalism”

— A Minnesota native himself, he insisted: “Nothing is worse than a Yankee telling a Southerner that his monuments don't matter.”