Missouri Democrat defends trans grandchild against GOP secretary of state candidate’s attack

InMissouri, the race for secretary of state has become a highly charged ideological showdown, marked by personal attacks and divisive rhetoric. At the heart of this conflict isDemocratic state Rep. Barbara Phifer, who has responded forcefully to a recent attack on hertransgender grandchild byRepublican candidate Valentina Gomez.

Gomez, a 25-year-old social media influencer, has gained notoriety for her aggressive stance againstLGBTQ+ rights. Her campaign, characterized by incendiary remarks and controversial actions, has appealed to right-wing extremists with messages starkly contrasting with Phifer’s inclusive vision. Phifer is a Democratic candidate for secretary of state.

The tension escalated when Gomez launched a personal attack on Phifer via social media in June, accusing her of raising a “groomer” and suggesting she belongs in a nursing home.

“You have a trans grandchild,” Gomez wrote on X (formerlyTwitter). “That means you raised a groomer. You failed your children, and they failed your grandchildren. Also, you’re irrelevant and belong in a nursing home.”

Her attack followed Phifer’s condemnation of Gomez’s campaign tactics, which include a video of Gomez burning LGBTQ-themedbooks with a flamethrower and another in which Gomez urged voters not to be “weak and gay.”

In a campaign video posted in May, Gomez declared, “In America, you can be anything you want, so don’t be weak and gay.” The video, which she had to take down after SonyMusic Publishing accused her of unauthorized use of copyrighted music, showed her running through the heavily LGBTQ+ Soulard neighborhood of St. Louis in a ballistic vest and holding a gun.

Phifer, who has served in office since 2021 and brings over 40 years of experience as a United Methodist Church pastor, addressed these attacks in an interview with The Advocate. “It’s concerning any time a person attacks a child. Attacks on children have no place anywhere on anything,” Phifer said, highlighting the moral and ethical implications of Gomez’s rhetoric.

Phifer, who has lived and worked in the St. Louis area for 34 years, emphasized her role as a parent and grandparent. “First and foremost, I am a parent and a grandparent, and that’s going to be my primary responsibility in life,” she said. Phifer also highlighted the broader issues at play, criticizing her opponent’s lack of substantive ideas. “When you don’t have anything to give, nothing to add to a conversation, you just start throwing verbal bombs,” she remarked.

The role of Missouri’s secretary of state is critical. It involves administering statewide elections, overseeing local verification of petition signatures, and serving as a clearinghouse of information. With the current Republican secretary of state, Jay Ashcroft, running for governor, the position is up for grabs. The office also oversees business registration, authenticates the governor’s official acts, and appoints and commissions notaries public.

Phifer’s platform emphasizes fair elections, support for local libraries, and impartial governance. Her extensive public service background and commitment to justice and inclusivity starkly contrast Gomez’s provocative and exclusionary tactics.

Phifer criticized the silence from other Republican candidates regarding Gomez’s behavior. “It’s fine to disagree with me all day long, but we’re a community together, and we’re supposed to value our kids,” Phifer said. She added that attacks involving children put people at risk and degrade the political discourse.

Among the Democratic candidates, Phifer faces Monique Williams, a retired CPA and former City of St. Louis auditor, and Haley Jacobson, a licensed nurse.

On the Republican side, Gomez faces competition from seven other candidates. Despite the crowded field, no Republican candidates have publicly condemned Gomez’s extreme rhetoric.

Gomez doubled down on her bigoted remarks in an email to The Advocate.

“That woman tried to come after me and I responded by stating the truth. There’s no such thing as a trans child. I stand by my words: she raised a groomer and failed her children. I’ve already caught one pedophile, and I am coming for the rest of groomers and pedophiles that sexualize, groom and indoctrinate our innocent children,” Gomez wrote.

Far-right radicals have claimed, without evidence, that LGBTQ+ people are grooming children for sexual exploitation. It is an old scare tactic that anti-LGBTQ+ bigots have used for decades to attack the LGBTQ+ community. Phifer’s commitment to inclusivity and fairness starkly contrasts Gomez’s divisive bombast.

Phifer discussed her vision for the role. She described it as the “utility player job of the state,” involving seven functions that revolve around maintaining a vibrant democracy. These include elections, libraries, business registrations, and even financial education for elders. Phifer emphasized the importance of supporting local libraries, particularly in underserved areas and ensuring that local communities can decide what books are available in their libraries.

“Libraries across the state are going to have different types of books because of different types of populations. Local groups are the ones that need to figure that out. It doesn’t make sense to run it any other way,” she said. Phifer believes parents, not the government, should determine what their children read.

As Missouri voters prepare for the primary election on August 6, they are presented with a choice that will shape the state’s approach to governance, inclusivity, and democracy.

Phifer underscored her approach to governance with a compelling metaphor. “My informal mantra right now or slogan is, boring government is good government. Especially in the secretary of state’s job, it should be the most boring thing in the world, like gray paint on a wall. You have a nice neutral tone that you put other things on the wall to make it pop. You don’t notice the wall, but it’s essential. That’s what good government looks like, and that’s what we need to do in the state of Missouri,” she explained.

Editor’s note: This article was updated to include comments from Valentina Gomez.