Republican who called for Pride flags to be burned loses Colorado GOP primary

Dave Williams, chairman of the Colorado Republican Party, which sent an email earlier this month, calling for pride flags to be burned — lost the GOP primary election for the state’s 5th Congressional District.

Republican Jeff Crank will now face Democrat Axel Brown, a former social worker, in November.

Williams, a former state legislator, faced numerous calls for resignation after sending a mass email to his supporters earlier this month in which he described LGBTQ+ people as “ungodly groomers” and used other language falsely equating trans people with pedophiles. Williams also promised the party would work hard to ban gender-affirming care for transgender youth in the state.

The 5th Congressional District includes Colorado Springs, where five people were killed in a mass shooting at an LGBTQ+ nightclub in 2022.

Williams The email drew sharp criticism, including from members of his own party, who feared his comments could hurt other Republicans’ chances of being elected.

“Dave Williams should resign…or be removed from office” Valdamar Archuleta, a Colorado Republican running for Congress in another district, wrote in a social media post shortly after sending the email. Archuleta, who is also the head of the state chapter of Log Cabin Republicansa conservative gay organization, said Williams “does not have effective communication skills.”

Two Republican lawmakers said the Guardian that Williams’ comments were inappropriate. Nancy Pallozzi, chairwoman of the Jefferson County Republican Party, started a petition to try to oust Williams this month before she is censured for overstepping her authority.

“He has done so many destructive things in Colorado to not promote unity and (has done) things that are beyond the bounds and scope of his role and responsibility as state party chair.” , Richard Holtorf, minority whip in the Colorado House of Representatives, told the Guardian.

After the email was announced, Williams told HuffPost in an emailed statement that he makes “no apology for saying that God hates Pride or Pride flags, because it is a program that harms children and undermines parental authority.”

Despite its many ultra-conservative representatives, Colorado is also known for its progressive policies aimed at protecting transgender residents.

Monday, the Colorado Supreme Court rejected a proposed ballot measure that would have banned gender-affirming care for transgender minors.