California gay rights group says Democratic campaign used ‘homophobia’ against rival

California’s largest LGBTQ civil rights organization condemned a Democratic political candidate this week, alleging she used messaging that inappropriately discussed her Democratic rival’s sexual orientation and ethnicity.

The dispute centers on two Democrats running for an Inland Empire state Senate seat: Kris Goodfellow and Abigail Medina.

Equality California alleges that Goodfellow had made false claims against Medina’s “personal life, her family and her sexual orientation.” Medina is a member of the LGBTQ community. She is also the daughter of immigrants, according to her campaign website.

A letter the group’s executive director sent to Goodfellow on Monday also claims the California National Organization for Women was disconcerted by her responses in an endorsement questionnaire.

In its survey, California NOW asked candidates to list why they think she should earn the group’s endorsements.

In her response, Goodfellow called Medina a “ticking time bomb of scandal.” Goodfellow then described her view of the breakup of Medina’s marriage and the status of Medina’s child custody arrangements.

Medina narrowly lost a bid for the state Assembly in 2016 with 49.4 percent of the vote. She denied Goodfellow’s allegations as false, personal attacks, which underscore the challenges women of color and the LGBTQ community face in the electoral process.

California NOW President Kolieka Seigle told Goodfellow in a Jan. 27 email that she had not earned the organization’s endorsement, and that the responses were considered “offensive and not in alignment with our values.”

The rebuke prompted an apology from Goodfellow, who said she “unloaded” on the group and “was in a reactive mindset when I wrote this.”

“I should have focused on my campaign, my character and my history,” Goodfellow wrote in an email response. “You have my sincere apology.”

Rick Zbur wrote in his letter that Goodfellow’s campaign has “engaged in an ongoing anti-LGBTQ+ smear campaign.”

“Homophobia — or appeals to negative prejudice against openly LGBTQ+ candidates — has no place in California,” Zbur wrote. “On behalf of Equality California, I ask that you immediately stop any and all defamatory attacks against Ms. Medina’s character, including those related to her sexual orientation or ethnicity.”

Goodfellow said she was not engaged in a “smear campaign,” and said her team has focused on “issues that matter to voters,” like creating jobs, quality education, health care and defending the LGBTQ community.

“I remain deeply committed to advancing policies that unite our communities and would never engage in the kind of campaign tactics that have been alleged,” she wrote to Zbur on Tuesday.

The two Democrats are battling for a primary win on March 3, for a district seat held by state Sen. Mike Morrell, a Republican from Rancho Cucamonga.

Medina is backed by the California Legislative Women’s, Latino and LGBTQ caucuses and NARAL, Pro-Choice America, according to her campaign. She is the executive director of Inland Regional Equality Network.

Goodfellow was endorsed by the state party, the California Teachers Association, Planned Parenthood and SEIU California, her campaign website reads. She’s a former reporter and now owns a small technology business with her husband in Redlands.

This story was originally published February 25, 2020 at 5:38 PM.