| RICHMOND, Va. – The Democratic Party of Virginia today called on Jill Vogel to condemn Corey Stewart’s transphobic attack on journalist Danica Roem, our Democratic nominee in the 13th House District. Vogel appeared with Stewart yesterday at a “Bikers for Trump” campaign rally for the Republican ticket, where, according to the Richmond Times-Dispatch, Stewart “referred to Roem as ‘he’ and said she is part of the category of Democrats he considers ‘weirdos’”. “Jill Vogel has tried to cozy up to the LGBTQ community, yet she campaigned yesterday with a man who called a transgender candidate a ‘weirdo’ and referred to her with a masculine pronoun,” said Democratic Party of Virginia Chairwoman Susan Swecker. “If Jill Vogel truly stands with the LGBTQ community, she will condemn this transphobic attack. She had a choice between hatred or unity, bigotry or fairness, yesterday or tomorrow. And Jill Vogel chose hatred, bigotry and yesterday.” “Senator Vogel sent campaigners to Pride festivals in Virginia this year, and at Pride, we speak out against discrimination no matter who it affects,” said Roem. “Senator Vogel, please condemn this hate speech and work with us to make Virginia a more inclusive commonwealth.” The Republican Party of Virginia recently paid for a campaign mailer that misgendered Roem, as reported this weekend by the Washington Post. If elected, Roem would be the first openly-transgender lawmaker elected and seated in a state legislature. She is working to unseat Delegate Bob Marshall, who sponsored a “bathroom bill” even more extreme than North Carolina’s HB2. | 
