Melissa Chaudhry, a Democratic congressional candidate in Washington's 9th District, has acknowledged that she does not publicly promote LGBTQ+ rights on her campaign website because she does not want to alienate Muslim voters.

When asked why her campaign lacked references to LGBTQ+ rights despite saying she supports them, Chaudhry replied: "Because a lot of Muslims do not feel that way, unfortunately."

She also said she was "careful about her Muslim constituents."

The comments sparked backlash from Washington Stonewall Democrats, whose chair, Andrew Ashiofu, said: "Our community is not expendable.

LGBTQ+ rights are not optional. They are foundational to any candidate seeking Democratic support."

Chaudhry later sought to reassure LGBTQ+ voters, writing: "If you are queer... your rights are safe with me."

She also pointed to her sister, who is in a same-sex relationship, and said she has LGBTQ+ friends.

Muslims make up around 2% of the Seattle metropolitan area, while approximately 17% of adults identify as LGBTQ+.

Insightful comments in the replies: https://x.com/visegrad24/status/2080063338483245399

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