Melissa Chaudhry, a Muslim Democrat running for Congress in Olympia, Washington, has reportedly threatened to switch parties if elected after fellow Democrats and LGBTQ activists pitted her Muslim beliefs against supporting LGBTQ rights.
Andrew Ashiofu, chair of the Stonewall Democrats, the official LGBT caucus in the Washington State Democratic Party, recently told Jewish News Syndicate, that Chaudhry threatened to leave the Democrat Party and become the first Green Party member of Congress during a local progressive publication’s election board meeting.
Board members reminded Chaudhry that the meeting was on the record. “This whole meeting, this whole process is on the record,” one member told Chaudhry, according to Ashiofu. “If there’s something, if you don’t want said, don’t say it in the meeting.”
Chaudhry is running for Congress in Washington’s 9th District and is attempting to primary longtime Rep. Adam Smith, D-Wash.
Democrats Question Chaudhry’s Commitment to LGBTQ Rights
Before Chaudhry levied her threat, she received backlash from local Democrats because she told The Stranger, a progressive Seattle publication, that she omitted explicit references to LGBTQ rights from her website because “a lot of Muslims do not feel that way, unfortunately.” When asked directly by JNS whether Islam supports gay people or gay rights, Chaudhry emphasized broader religious principles.
Chaudhry’s comments led to backlash from local advocates and Democratic Party organizations, including the Stonewall Democrats, even to the point of pressuring groups to withdraw their endorsements of Chaudhry.
For instance, Ashiofu wrote in a social media post that “Democratic voters deserve truth, not concealment. Endorsing bodies deserve respect, not attempts to manipulate their process.”
“Equally alarming is her acknowledgment that she omitted LGBTQ+ protections from her platform because she feared it would alienate parts of her coalition,” Ashiofu continued.
Chaundry and Ashiofu did not immediately respond to the Daily Signal’s request for comment, while the Washington State Democratic Party declined to comment.
Jonathan Choe, a senior fellow at the Discovery Institute, said in a statement to Jewish News Syndicate that Chaudhry’s remarks raise questions about her political messaging
“When Chaudhry says she supports the LGBTQ+ community, I believe she’s lying,” Choe told JNS. “She will pretend to do so in order to gain votes by any means necessary.”
Chaudhry pushed back on the criticism, arguing that opponents and political activists have misrepresented her views. She told JNS that she was “forced into a corner by an aggressive and dishonest political opponent and an interview panel,” referring to former Seattle City Council member Kshama Sawant and members of The Stranger’s election board.
Chaudhry Pushes Back
Chaudhry compared her experience to historical religious persecution, saying people under pressure sometimes make statements simply to end an ordeal.
She also disputed claims that she does not adequately support LGBTQ rights, pointing to language now included on her campaign platform. Her website currently calls for “dignity, protection, safety, equality and full civil rights” and “full legal protection and dignity under the law” for LGBTQ individuals.
However, archived versions of the website from early June reportedly did not contain such language.
“Islam teaches justice, mercy and protection for everyone suffering oppression,” she said. “I stand for dignity, safety and opportunity for all, including every marginalized community.”
The dispute escalated after the Stonewall Democrats issued a public statement opposing Chaudhry’s candidacy.
In response, Chaudhry accused the group of spreading false information, claiming that it denied her endorsement application and prevented her from addressing caucus members.
Ashiofu, however, told JNS that Chaudhry never contacted the organization or submitted the questionnaire required of candidates seeking endorsement. “Only candidates who submit questionnaires are invited to speak to the caucus,” Ashiofu said.
Chaudhry has sought to demonstrate her support for LGBTQ individuals through personal examples. According to Jewish News Syndicate, she wrote in a social media post that she helped found a Gay-Straight Alliance in high school, has a sister in a same-sex relationship, and counts a lesbian woman and her family among her close friends.
However, Ashiofu said those personal connections do not resolve concerns about her public statements. “Our community is not optional,” he wrote, adding that LGBTQ rights “cannot be sidelined for political convenience.”
The controversy has also fueled scrutiny within Washington Democratic Party circles. The 33rd Legislative District Democrats convened an emergency executive board meeting on July 9 to consider whether to rescind their endorsement of Chaudhry.