From: NewNowNext
A gay couple in Washington, D.C. explain how they tolerate each other’s opposing political views in a lighthearted new profile in the Washington Blade.
The couple, 46-year-old Greg Nelson and 60-year-old Jose Cunningham, have been together for 20 years and have lived in the same house for 16 years, all while maintaining their views on different sides of the political spectrum.
The couple have never agreed on politics but admit the current election cycle has affected them in ways they never imagined and, for once, people are asking them how they can even stand to be around each other.
Jose, chair of the D.C. Republican Party, is an avowed Trump supporter.
Nelson, on the other hand, is a fairly passive voter with an affinity for Hillary Clinton. He told the Blade his “biggest political endeavors” have been launching the “Labradoodles for Obama” campaign in 2009, and creating “’the Combover,’ a Trump-inspired cocktail with comb garnishment he serves at GOP functions at their home.”
When it comes to the general election, Jose said his top concerns are “national security, foreign policy and his pro-life convictions.”
Though he admits he’s “as establishment as you can get,” Jose said he plans on voting for Trump because “he wants change.”
“If we want change, it’s not going to happen with Hillary Clinton,” said Jose. “It’s with Donald Trump.”
Jose said he even knows a handful of people who are hoping for a Trump presidency but are afraid to be vocal about it.
“I know of an awful lot of people here in town who are not bashing Trump, not saying they’re not going to support him and are quietly signaling in the background that they’re ready to serve when he wins. If we wake up on November 9th and Donald Trump is our next president, we will only have a very short amount of time to get this government up and running.”
On the contrary, Greg said “this really is the first election where I just don’t understand how he [Jose] could support the candidate.”
Greg added: “I think Donald Trump is an irresponsible choice for anyone to pick because of his poor choices, poor temperament and lack of accountability.”
Both men said they “don’t think gay issues are very high on the totem poll” this year.
But regardless of their political views, Jose and Greg said they’ve noticed another troubling aspect of the current general election— that otherwise sensible Republicans are being “bullied” over their support of Trump.
“People in the national Republican Party have been nothing but gracious, kind and welcoming to me,” Greg said, noting that Jose’s car has been keyed multiple times, once by a gay couple, over its Trump bumper sticker.
“I’ve never had anyone say, ‘How could you vote for Hillary? You’re stupid, you’re crazy’ or any of that kind of blanket statement. Whereas Jose gets that all the time — he’s crazy, ‘How can you support Trump as a gay man?’ and all these terribly inappropriate remarks.”
He added: “I don’t understand why it has to be so nasty. I might not agree with a lot of things Jose agrees with but the beauty of America is that we have a democracy that allows you to vote.”
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