Republican Co-Chair Spouts Blatant Homophobia Against Pete Buttigieg

On Sunday, Meshawn Maddock, the co-chair of Michigan's Republican party took to Twitter to attack United States Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg. Maddock's tweet was in response to a recent interview Buttigieg had done about the shift away from gas-powered vehicles.

"We're so blessed this weak little girl moved to Michigan!" Maddock wrote. "Looks like he's bringing all his California Dreaming here with him."

Buttigieg, who was previously the mayor of South Bend Indiana, moved to Michigan in July. At the time he said that family connections (through his husband Chasten) inspired the move.

Maddock, who describes herself on Twitter as "Ultra MAGA" has been a co-chair of the state party since 2021. Prior to this, she had made national headlines for organizing a protest to halt the state's stay-at-home order which led to heavily armed militiamen outside the Michigan Statehouse. She also "helped fill 19 buses to Washington for the Jan. 6 rally" according to the New York Times and spoke at a Stop the Steal rally. In April, Maddock's husband Matt Maddock who was a State representative, was ousted from the state caucus for improper behavior.

Meshawn Maddock's post about Buttigieg is currently being "ratioed," a term used on the social media platform that refers to a post being negatively quote tweeted more than it receives support. At the time of this writing, there are over 100 quotes, some of which point out that the attack came as the Michigan GOP Twitter account remembers those lost to the September 11 terrorist attack, while Buttigieg is a military veteran.

"You can always count on homophobic bullshit like this from a thin-lipped, Republican, party-bloat Barbie with that White Claw glow," George Hahn wrote. Michigan State Representative Samantha Steckloff also commented.

"Once again, the chair of the Michigan GOP has stooped to the lowest of lows spouting homophobic and bigoted attacks on Michganders once again," she wrote. "Step down, you don't deserve to represent anyone. Hate has no place here."

As of this writing, Maddock has responded to none of the criticism. In a follow-up quote tweet she wrote: "Weak men create hard times."

Maddock is the latest in a string of Conservatives who have employed homophobia to attack Buttigieg and his family.