Anderson Cooper has some questions about JD Vance’s theory that he and Donald Trump are winning the “normal gay guy vote” in the election.
“I’m curious to know where the line is between a normal gay person and a not-normal gay person,” the CNN host said.
“I can guess what it is. Anything related to drag—and wearing as much makeup as Donald Trump wears—that would be considered not-normal. It’s fine for Donald Trump, but on a gay guy that wouldn’t be considered normal,” he added.
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During a three-hour interview with Joe Rogan on Thursday, the Republican vice-presidential candidate said he wouldn’t be surprised if Trump won among “normal” gays who “just want to be left the hell alone.”
Attacking the transgender community has been a central part of the Trump campaign, as he and Vance try to convince voters that transgender athletes somehow pose a bigger threat to women and girls than deadly state abortion bans.
Trump has also tried and failed to explain how he would protect IVF, which many same-sex couples rely on to start families, from getting swept-up in those same abortion bans.
The strategy has apparently failed to win over LGBTQ+ voters; polling shows Kamala Harris leads by almost 70 points among likely queer voters.
After Vance’s comments on Thursday, quote-unquote normal gay guys chimed in on X, formerly Twitter, to make it clear they would not be supporting the Trump-Vance ticket.
“Sorry I wasn’t there to see JD Vance’s latest gaffe. My husband and I were taking our kids trick-or-treating. In our minivan. With costumes from Target,” Pete Buttigieg’s husband Chasten wrote. “Anyway, have you made a plan to knock doors for Kamala Harris this weekend?
Bravo host Andy Cohen’s response was more succinct.
“Sashay away,” he wrote.
