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The Guardian - US
The Guardian - US
World
Martin Pengelly in Washington

Outrage after Republican candidate tells voters ‘don’t be weak and gay’

woman running in a protective vest
Screengrab from Valentina Gomez campaign video. Photograph: @ValentinaForSOS/X

Valentina Gomez, a Republican candidate for Missouri secretary of state, stoked outrage with a video in which she ran down a street while wearing a protective vest and said: “In America, you can do anything you want, so don’t be weak and gay. Stay fucking hard.”

Jason Kander, a former Democratic Missouri secretary of state and candidate for US Senate, said with sarcasm: “So refreshing to see a female GOP candidate who never served in the military doing the whole veteran cosplay, stolen valour, bigotry as a substitute for strength routine as well as any man.”

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