--- [ LGBTQ ](https://mail.citywatchla.com/lgbtq) # A MAGA Republican Is Facing Off With A Progressive Dem For A Seat In Congress. They’re Both Gay September 22 2022 Written by Molly Sprayregen. LGBTQ POLITICS - In a historic first for the country, two gay candidates are running against each other in a general election for Congress – and they are absolute polar opposites. In New York’s 3rd district, which includes a large swath of Long Island and parts of Queens, Progressive Democrat Robert Zimmerman (left photo) is facing off against Trump-loving Republican George Santos (right photo). Zimmerman is running on a platform of LGBTQ equality, access to abortion, affordable health care, and gun violence prevention. A member of the Democratic National Committee, he has been fighting to take corporate money out of politics and demolish the superdelegate system. As a closeted kid in the 70s, he was told by a trusted adult he should try conversion therapy. He never did, but has said the suggestion fueled his fire to become a political activist. Santos, on the other hand, supports Donald Trump, [has said](https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/long-island-congressional-candidate-george-santos-compared-reproductive-rights-to-slavery/ar-AA11Hkwv) abortion is as barbaric as slavery, and [has voiced support](https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=526839605510784) for Florida’s “Don’t Say Gay” law. He attended the January 6th “Stop the Steal” rally that led to the storming of the U.S. Capitol and was recently [caught on video](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I_dkuFEwqmA) saying he wrote a “nice check” to help cover the legal fees of some of the rioters. Santos [has denied](https://www.washingtonblade.com/2022/09/21/in-first-gay-democrat-and-gay-republican-face-off-in-congressional-race/) supporting the lie that President Biden stole the 2020 election from Donald Trump. Santos’s official platform is focused on battling inflation, crime, and energy costs. In 2020, he [called himself](https://theislandnow.com/rop/recovered-from-covid-santos-a-walking-living-breathing-contradiction/) “a walking, living, breathing contradiction” and said he was “more fiscally conservative but socially liberal.” He also tweeted that his sexuality has nothing to do with the issues and lambasted his liberal critics for “play\[ing\] identity politics” and calling him a “‘misguided self hating gay.”‘ Despite their completely opposing ideologies, whoever wins will make history as the first out LGBTQ member of Congress from Long Island. The seat is considered crucial to Democrats as they fight to keep their majority in the House. According to LGBTQ Victory Fund Deputy Political Director Cesar Toledo, Zimmerman is a frontrunner in the race due to recent redistricting that has caused the area to lean Democratic. “Biden won this seat by eight points, so Robert Zimmerman is highly favored and poised to increase LGBTQ representation in Congress,” Toledo said. Victory Fund has endorsed Zimmerman. “When reproductive rights and LGBTQ freedoms are under direct assault, Long Island voters know that they can trust someone like Robert Zimmerman,” Toledo said, “and we are proud and enthusiastic to be supportive of someone who has lifelong record championing pro-equality and pro-choice issues…Candidates to be endorsed by our organization must support LGBTQ rights and reproductive freedom, and George clearly doesn’t meet that criteria.” *(Molly Sprayregen is a queer writer. Her work can be found in Out Magazine, Them, Into Magazine, The Associated Press, LGBTQ Nation, Roxane Gay's Gay Magazine, and more. More info at MollySpray.com. This story was featured in LTBTQ Nation.)* [ ![save up to 4000 on used evs](https://mail.citywatchla.com/images/LADWP/dwp%20ev%20ad2.png) ](https://mail.citywatchla.com/component/banners/click/107 "LA DWP | Save $4K, Green | Priority Ad") [ ![Donna Tryfman](https://mail.citywatchla.com/images/ADS%20FOR%202026/Donna-Tryfman-Ad-Final-Complete-Border-White-Margin.png) ](https://mail.citywatchla.com/component/banners/click/98 "Donna Tryfman - HS1-1") [ ![LA DWP #2 (Power Savers)](https://mail.citywatchla.com/images/LADWP/2026%20LADWP%20PowerSavers%20300x250.png) ](https://mail.citywatchla.com/component/banners/click/82 "LA DWP #2 (Power Savers)") [ ![David DeJute Campaign](https://mail.citywatchla.com/images/ADS%20FOR%202026/DejuteAd.png) ](https://mail.citywatchla.com/component/banners/click/111 "David DeJute Campaign") [ ![Pay Water Bill Help](https://mail.citywatchla.com/images/LADWP/dwp%20-%20cares-ad.jpg) ](https://mail.citywatchla.com/component/banners/click/97 "Home - LA DWP #2 (Pay Water Bill Help)") [ ![Anna Reitano Vertical R. Col](https://mail.citywatchla.com/images/ADS%20FOR%202026/reitano%20vertical%20rework.png) ](https://mail.citywatchla.com/component/banners/click/112 "Anna Reitano Vertical R. Col") ### Exploring LA With Nick Cabot Rodriguez ![](https://mail.citywatchla.com/images/banners/signup-for-cw.png) ## Get The News In Your Email Inbox Mondays & Thursdays First Name [ ![something you should know, podcasts](https://mail.citywatchla.com/images/banners/something%20you%20should%20know2.jpg) ](https://mail.citywatchla.com/component/banners/click/110 "Something You Should Know") [ ![Rhonda Haymon](https://mail.citywatchla.com/images/ADS%20FOR%202026/rhonda%20haymon%20for%20judge.png) ](https://mail.citywatchla.com/component/banners/click/113 "Rhonda Haymon campaign") [ ![Home - HHR Rent is too High - SB-2](https://mail.citywatchla.com/images/HHR/AHF-rent-too-high.jpg) ](https://mail.citywatchla.com/component/banners/click/104 "Home - HHR Rent is too High - SB-2") [ ![Spa](https://mail.citywatchla.com/images//ME%20DENTAL%20SPA/me%20dental2%208-11-26.png) ](https://mail.citywatchla.com/component/banners/click/109 "Me Dental Spa") [ ![Cheap Gas](https://mail.citywatchla.com/images/banners/cheap-gas2-10-24.jpg) ](https://mail.citywatchla.com/component/banners/click/96 "Home - Cheap Gas") [ ![Neighborhood Council Map](https://mail.citywatchla.com/images/banners/nc-map-graphic.jpg) ](https://mail.citywatchla.com/component/banners/click/89 "Home - Neighborhood Council Map") [ ![Neighborhood Council Meetings Here](https://mail.citywatchla.com/images/NewsPromos/nc-meeting%20banner.jpg) ](https://mail.citywatchla.com/component/banners/click/90 "Home - Neighborhood Council Meetings Here") --- ## Featured CityWatch Stories [ ![](https://mail.citywatchla.com/media/yootheme/cache/93/078f-9394fbfb.jpg) ](https://mail.citywatchla.com/los-angeles/33444-lahsa-is-gone-but-the-homeless-industrial-complex-lives-on) ### [LAHSA Is Gone, but the Homeless-Industrial-Complex Lives On](https://mail.citywatchla.com/los-angeles/33444-lahsa-is-gone-but-the-homeless-industrial-complex-lives-on) HOMELESSNESS - Los Angeles’s homelessness program is in complete disarray, undermined by systemic gridlock, structural… [ ![](https://mail.citywatchla.com/media/yootheme/cache/bc/078b-bc52a082.jpg) ](https://mail.citywatchla.com/neighborhood-politics/33434-karen-bass-trails-in-reelection-race-can-she-turn-it-around) ### [Karen Bass Trails in Reelection Race — Can She Turn It Around?](https://mail.citywatchla.com/neighborhood-politics/33434-karen-bass-trails-in-reelection-race-can-she-turn-it-around) WESTSIDE - As of September 27, 2026, Karen Bass is in a substantially weaker position than she was entering the June pr… [ ![](https://mail.citywatchla.com/media/yootheme/cache/28/077a-28f4c04a.jpg) ](https://mail.citywatchla.com/housing/33413-with-national-implications-corporate-landlords-take-aim-at-three-pro-rent-control-campaigns-in-california) ### [With National Implications, Corporate Landlords Take Aim at Three Pro-Rent Control Campaigns in California](https://mail.citywatchla.com/housing/33413-with-national-implications-corporate-landlords-take-aim-at-three-pro-rent-control-campaigns-in-california) HOUSING IS A HUMAN RIGHT - Corporate landlords and their high-powered lobbying group, the California Apartment Associat… [ ![](https://mail.citywatchla.com/media/yootheme/cache/c1/078p-c117465a.jpg) ](https://mail.citywatchla.com/finance/33442-the-settlement-bill-nobody-is-managing-inside-los-angeles-countys-sheriff-litigation-tab) ### [The Settlement Bill Nobody Is Managing — Inside Los Angeles County's Sheriff Litigation Tab](https://mail.citywatchla.com/finance/33442-the-settlement-bill-nobody-is-managing-inside-los-angeles-countys-sheriff-litigation-tab) THE NAVARRO REPORT - Last month, the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors approved a $12.5 million settlement over t… [ ![](https://mail.citywatchla.com/media/yootheme/cache/5c/078i-5c4154cf.jpg) ](https://mail.citywatchla.com/voices/33431-the-unflinching-daily-horror-in-the-west-bank) ### [The Unflinching Daily Horror In The West Bank](https://mail.citywatchla.com/voices/33431-the-unflinching-daily-horror-in-the-west-bank) THE WEST BANK - More often than not, I find myself at a loss for words to convey Israel’s genocide in Gaza and the rele… --- ## [ LGBTQ ](https://mail.citywatchla.com/lgbtq) [ ![](https://mail.citywatchla.com/media/yootheme/cache/e7/074n2-e71c6111.jpg) ](https://mail.citywatchla.com/lgbtq/33356-the-laurel-foundation-launches-the-art-of-online-auction-to-benefit-programs-for-lgbtq-youth-and-families)### [The Laurel Foundation Launches THE ART OF\_ Online Auction to Benefit Programs for LGBTQ+ Youth and Families](https://mail.citywatchla.com/lgbtq/33356-the-laurel-foundation-launches-the-art-of-online-auction-to-benefit-programs-for-lgbtq-youth-and-families) [ ![](https://mail.citywatchla.com/media/yootheme/cache/3d/071e2-3d40aca0.png) ](https://mail.citywatchla.com/lgbtq/33296-34-years-after-camp-laurel-began-for-kids-with-hiv-its-first-campers-return-with-children-of-their-own)### [34 Years After Camp Laurel Began for Kids With HIV, Its First Campers Return With Children of Their Own](https://mail.citywatchla.com/lgbtq/33296-34-years-after-camp-laurel-began-for-kids-with-hiv-its-first-campers-return-with-children-of-their-own) [ ![](https://mail.citywatchla.com/media/yootheme/cache/97/025h-97bb9ae9.jpg) ](https://mail.citywatchla.com/lgbtq/32477-attacks-on-transgender-women-are-part-of-a-larger-maga-agenda)### [Attacks on Transgender Women Are Part of a Larger MAGA Agenda](https://mail.citywatchla.com/lgbtq/32477-attacks-on-transgender-women-are-part-of-a-larger-maga-agenda) [ ![](https://mail.citywatchla.com/media/yootheme/cache/a2/013r-a27d6a52.jpg) ](https://mail.citywatchla.com/lgbtq/32267-pride-flag-returns-to-stonewall-as-new-york-officials-defy-federal-directive)### [Pride Flag Returns to Stonewall as New York Officials Defy Federal Directive](https://mail.citywatchla.com/lgbtq/32267-pride-flag-returns-to-stonewall-as-new-york-officials-defy-federal-directive) [ ![](https://mail.citywatchla.com/media/yootheme/cache/a2/012f-a2ed361b.jpg) ](https://mail.citywatchla.com/lgbtq/32245-california-lgbtq-community-still-worried-for-transgender-youth)### [California LGBTQ Community Still Worried For Transgender Youth](https://mail.citywatchla.com/lgbtq/32245-california-lgbtq-community-still-worried-for-transgender-youth)