Pete Holmberg is a gay businessman and Republican who is running for New York State Senate in Trump’s district in Manhattan. If he wins, he’ll be the first openly gay Republican in New York history.
The Gateway Pundit spoke to Holmberg about his switch from a Democrat to a Republican, his priorities, and how he plans to make Manhattan great again.
Holmberg, 52, is running for New York State Senate in District 28. Though he voted for Hillary Clinton in 2016, he became part of the #WalkAway movement after watching the Democratic Party descend into madness.
“I was horrified at the Democrat response to the 2016 election. When I moved to New York City as a young adult in 1992, I bought the whole package that, if you were gay, you had to be a Democrat. You were expected to assume your role as a social victim, go along with the party, and not question who’s side you were on,” Holmberg told The Gateway Pundit. “I voted for Secretary Clinton in 2016. After the election, I watched how over-the-top the Democratic Party went and how anyone who showed support for President-Elect Trump or who strayed from the Party Group-Think was targeted.”
Holmberg explained that he began to feel completely isolated until he started attending events at a local Republican club.
“I was blown away. They were the most friendly and welcoming people that I’ve dealt with in ages. No one cared that I was a gay man or even what my politics were. I was around people who could debate ideas, disagree with each other and, at the end of the day, show each other basic civility and respect because we’re all fellow Americans,” Holmberg said. “The hyper-focus on identity politics has been so destructive to our country and I every day realize more the extent that it’s been a campaign of Democrats to convince people that they’re victims of their political opponents.”
Well, it's official. I'm running for New York State Senate in District 28 to represent the East Side of Manhattan and parts of Midtown. We need your support and our campaign website is https://t.co/jAtT8E4DEZ I look forward to speaking with you all! pic.twitter.com/mncVHH4H1q
— Pete Holmberg (@PeteHolmbergNYC) June 15, 2018
Coming out as a Republican in New York City was unlike anything he had ever experienced; that includes coming out as gay in high school in the 1980’s, Holmberg stated. After congratulating then-President-Elect Trump in a Facebook post, he was shunned by his social network and labeled every terrible thing you can imagine.
“When I switched parties and then when I became a candidate, it has continued unabated. I’ve never experienced this type of intolerance from a conservative. It’s sad but I understand what’s going on. I hope having more openly gay Republican candidates will help deflate the stereotype that so many people are locked into,” he added.
The issues that are most important to Holmberg are some that most supporters of the president can agree with. Holmberg wants to see tax relief, reform healthcare, and adamantly opposes efforts to turn New York into a sanctuary state.
Speaking on why he believes tax relief is critical, Holmberg explained that we’re in a booming national economy and New York is one of the highest-taxed states in the nation.
“This state has become hostile to wealthy people and the businesses who employ everyone else. Successful people are leaving in droves and moving to places like Alabama, Texas, Tennessee and South Carolina where they can get tax relief,” he said. “I came to New York City with $2,000 in my pocket and no connections. I worked temp jobs, events and as a dog-walker while I established myself in a career.”
“We are now in a death spiral; especially in Manhattan. We’re losing the successful people who create the opportunities so everyone else has a shot. The wealthy and successful are the ones who need services, events and entry-level and senior-level staff. They are the ones who are providing all the opportunities for people starting out to climb the economic ladder,” Holmberg added.
Regarding the efforts by the State Assembly to make New York into a sanctuary state, Helmberg asserted that you cannot have open borders and a welfare state.
“You must pick one. We’re already a welfare state, meaning: if you collapse in the street, you will be taken care of in a hospital whether you have means to pay or not. It’s fiscally irresponsible to turn New York into a magnet for undocumented immigrants,” he said. “The whole platter of giveaways that Democrats are offering in their open-borders agenda, housing, medical and tuition, would devastate our economy. You can look at the California state budget to see what that would do to New York.”
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