Gay GOP Candidate Sues Republicans for Alleged Homophobic Defamation [View all]

Source: Newsweek

Jul 11, 2026 at 12:11 PM EDT


Reid Rasner, an openly gay Republican running for Wyoming's lone U.S. House seat, is accusing several members of his own party of spreading inaccurate, homophobic claims including labeling him a “pedophile."

The Republican House candidate has filed five lawsuits against current and former Republican legislators, one of which was settled Friday. The various lawsuits allege “defamation per se, tortious interference, emotional damage, and civil conspiracy,” a spokesperson for the law firm representing Rasner told Newsweek in a Friday email.

The lawsuits showcase some of the GOP's internal tensions over LGBTQ issues in one of the country's most conservative states. While the Trump administration has pursued policies opposed by many LGBTQ advocacy groups, particularly on transgender rights, it has also attracted a small but vocal group of gay conservatives that argue support for the president and LGBTQ identity are not mutually exclusive, such as Rasner who is a vocal backer of President Donald Trump.

“I’ve lived in Wyoming my whole life, and I know this kind of politics is beneath our state and beneath the Republican Party," Rasner told Newsweek in an email Friday about the lawsuits. "People can attack my record, my business background, or my support for President Trump, but spreading false claims to destroy my family, business, and reputation crosses a line."

Read more: https://www.newsweek.com/gay-gop-candidate-sues-republicans-for-alleged-homophobic-defamation-12184093