Carl DeMaio, an openly gay candidate for California's 52nd Congressional District, says liberals have been trashing him simply because he's a Republican.
"I don't wear my orientation on my sleeve, it's who I am. But it doesn't define the thorough breadth of what I am in terms of a leader for San Diego," DeMaio told "The Steve Malzberg Show" on Newsmax TV.
But, DeMaio added, a number of left-leaning groups who claim to want to support gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender candidates have worked against him strictly because of his GOP affiliation.
"My view is that the left is using social issues as a shiny distraction object because they don't want to talk about issues like fiscal reform, economic prosperity, government accountability, because if they did, they would lose elections," he said Wednesday.
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In one attack, DaMaio's picture was Photoshopped next to that of a drag queen.
"It's a standard set of talking point to demonize the Republican Party. Let's put on the record that the Republican Party has its fair share of problems it's got to deal with on these issues, and that's why I call myself a new-generation Republican," DeMaio said.
"These progressive activists are willing to put aside what they claim to want to achieve for LGBT Americans in the name of partisan politics.
"But I am going to continue to be who I am, which is, I am for inclusion and acceptance and diversity in the Republican Party around a message of reform — fiscal reform, economic prosperity, government accountability."
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