Colorado Republican Party Under Fire Over ‘Disgusting’ Pride Month Mailer Declaring ‘God Hates Flags’
AP Photo/David Zalubowski
The Republican Party of Colorado sent out a mailer this week attacking Pride Month and declaring that “God Hates Flags” – invoking the rhetoric of the extremist, homophobic Westboro Baptist Church.
Local Colorado 9News anchor Kyle Clark shared an image of the mailer online, writing, ““God Hates Flags” The @cologop’s mass email for Pride Month attacks “godless groomers” who want to “harm our children.””
Clark noted that the Colorado GPO’s official X account shared his tweet and added, “Burn all the #pride flags this June.”
Colorado Republican Party’s “call to burn all Pride Flags reflects that the state party’s allegiance is to the values of state chairman Dave Williams, even more so than those of Donald Trump. In 2020, Williams proposed a same-sex marriage ban that the CO GOP + R legislative leaders wouldn’t back,” wrote Clark.
@ColoGOP’s call to burn all Pride Flags reflects that the state party’s allegiance is to the values of state chairman Dave Williams, even more so than those of Donald Trump. In 2020, Williams proposed a same-sex marriage ban that the CO GOP + R legislative leaders wouldn’t back. pic.twitter.com/m8PhBf5Tyy
— Kyle Clark (@KyleClark) June 3, 2024
The mailer sparked outrage from inside the GOP as the party’s endorsed candidate in Colorado’s 1st Congressional District, Valdamar Archuleta, renounced his own party’s endorsement. Archuleta, who is also the president of the Colorado Log Cabin Republicans, posted a lengthy statement saying that “I spoke with many LGBT and non LGBT Republicans yesterday who also found the message in the email disgusting and offensive. This email does NOT Represent the Republican voters of Colorado.”
After a lot of thought and consideration, reflecting on yesterday’s email from the @cologop with the subject line “God Hates Pride”, I can not accept their endorsement. Here’s my full statement:
Yesterday the Colorado State GOP sent out an email with the subject line “God Hates… pic.twitter.com/n7zq6qfFI4
— Valdamar Archuleta (@Archuleta4CO) June 4, 2024
“I know the Republicans in our State and in our city. They’re kind, accepting, loving, and welcoming people. They’ve become some of my best friends. They love this country, they love this state, they love our city, and they love their neighbors,” he added.
Shelby Wieman, the press secretary to Governor Jared Polis (the first openly gay man elected governor in the United States), also condemned the mailer in a statement to Mediaite:
What a ridiculous mailer. Governor Polis is focused on creating a Colorado for All where everyone can thrive no matter who they love or how they identify. The Governor looks forward to celebrating Pride Month alongside his fellow Coloradans and will not let the incoherent ramblings of a politician stand in the way.
Colorado GOP Chairman Williams stood by the mailer, which was signed by him, in a message to Clark’s 9News, saying, “We make no apologies for opposing the woke Pride Month agenda as it ultimately harms children and undermines parents, but Archuleta is the presumptive nominee in an overwhelmingly Democrat heavy district, so we will of course continue to highlight his candidacy.”
