Trump speaks at conservative gay rights group gala in Mar-a-Lago

PALM BEACH - Members of a longtime conservative LGBT group, on Dec. 15, praised Florida's parental rights in education law, derided by critics as the "Don't say gay" legislation, while courting support from former President Donald Trump and defeated Arizona gubernatorial candidate Kari Lake.

The group, the Log Cabin Republicans, held a black tie, high-brow gala at Trump's Mar-a-Lago estate that served as a fundraiser for future candidates and the organization. The event's headliner was the former president, who exclaimed his support for gay rights but did not offer any policy initiatives during a short address to the 400 or so people who attended.

"We are fighting for you and we are fighting for the gay community, and we're fighting and we're fighting hard," Trump said at the end of his speech.

Lake and other speakers at the event, including Florida Congresswoman Kat Cammack, also doused cold water the use of nonbinary pronouns and condemned transgender athletes competing against women in sporting competitions. But they also heralded the legislation just signed by President Joe Biden protecting the right to same-sex and interracial marriages.

That bill, however, drew support from just 39 Republicans on Capitol Hill, including Cammack, who represents a district in the Gainesville region.

"Tonight we celebrate not just the 39 Republicans that stood up as lighthouses illuminating a path where you can be a freaking conservative and support gay marriage, but you also support religious freedom in the same breath," Cammack said.

The Log Cabin Republicans gala at Mar-a-Lago comes at a crossroad for Florida and national Republicans. While Cammack and other state Republicans backed the same-sex measure, it was opposed by the majority of Republicans in Washington and harshly criticized by many within the party, which has lurched ever more to the right in the Trump era.

Gov. Ron DeSantis has built a brand that, critics in the LGBTQ+ community, say is squarely aimed at them

In Florida, Gov. Ron DeSantis, widely viewed as Trump's most formidable potential rival for the 2024 GOP nomination, has built a brand that critics in the LGBTQ+ community say is squarely aimed at them. Those measures championed by the governor include the Parental Rights in Education law that prohibits classroom instruction of gender identity and sexuality in kindergarten through third grade.

The legislation and vociferous rhetoric on other issues, such as corporate diversity training programs, drag shows with events for children and criticism of transgender athleticism, has led LGBTQ+ advocates and others to warn that the aggressive commentary will incite violence against the community.

But the focus on an anti-woke campaign has rocketed DeSantis' popularity among Republicans in Florida and elsewhere with campaign slogans of "Keep Florida Free" or "Make America Florida" and with some conservatives bestowing on him the moniker of "America's Governor." DeSantis, whose name did not come up at the Mar-a-Lago gala, has gradually garnered support among the GOP base for a potential 2024 White House bid with a recent USA TODAY/Suffolk University poll showing him topping Trump by 56% to 33% among Republicans nationally.

For his part, Trump has not yet articulated a new policy agenda on LGBTQ+ and other social issues. But he did mirror the parental rights rhetoric in his presidential announcement speech Nov. 15.

Parental rights a talking point in Palm Beach gala

The Log Cabin Republicans are one of the oldest and most influential conservative gay rights groups, and its president, Charles Moran, spent the evening at Mar-a-Lago thanking the Republican congressional members who voted for the Respect for Marriage Act.

Moran said that this organization goes against the narrative of gay rights pushed by left-wing activists and fights against "radical gender theory" while supporting parental rights in education. Although the parental rights measure created an uproar among left-wing activists, Moran said that the Log Cabin Republicans worked with legislators to ensure that it would not be damaging for the gay rights agenda.

"It's not anti-gay. It gives parents rights," Moran said.

Lake's remarks focused largely on criticizing "fake news" and claiming election fraud for the Arizona gubernatorial election, in which she is legally challenging Katie Hobbs' victory.

Among those who also attended the Log Cabin Republicans gala was U.S. Rep. Matt Gaetz, who reiterated he would support Trump if it was between him and DeSantis.

Stephany Matat is a journalist at the Palm Beach Post, part of the USA TODAY Florida Network. You can reach her at smatat@pbpost.com. Help support our journalism. Subscribe today.