He's gay, but this Virginia Beach man is outspoken in his support for Donald Trump and the GOP

VIRGINIA BEACH

Scott Presler took cardboard cutouts of Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton to the Oceanfront for the Fourth of July weekend. Clinton was handcuffed and in an orange jumpsuit that read "Lyin' Crooked Hillary!!!!!"

Presler snapped a picture of three smiling men posing with the Clinton cutout and tweeted, "Thank you, boys! I formally welcome you to the Trump train."

Presler, 28, is an organizer employed by the Republican Party of Virginia. Using the hashtag #gaysfortrump, he is outspoken about his support for the presumptive GOP nominee, tweeting nonstop attacks on Democratic opponent Clinton, knocking on doors and registering voters. His reception on Twitter is mixed, but he's welcomed by Trump backers.

Presler said he came out publicly about a month ago after a gunman killed 49 people at a gay nightclub in Orlando.

"The moment that I came out, I've never received so much love and I've never received so much hate at the same time," he said.

"I love to tweet and I love to get my message out there, and I think that I do represent a unique sect of the GOP. … I'm proud of who I am and I'm proud to be part of the GOP."

Such activism comes at a time, however, when the GOP remains divided on the issue of gay rights.

The Republican National Convention convenes Monday in Cleveland. The GOP's 2012 platform, adopted when former Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell chaired the platform committee, called for a constitutional amendment banning gay marriage and said court attempts to redefine marriage were "an assault on the foundations of our society."

Gregory Angelo, president of the gay-rights group Log Cabin Republicans, called this year's platform "the most anti-LGBT Platform in the Party's 162-year history." The platform committee has endorsed discredited "conversion therapy" aimed at changing the sexual orientation of children who identify as gay.

State Sen. Dick Black, R-Loudoun County, is one of the most conservative members of the state legislature and will be a delegate in Cleveland.

"You take votes where you can get them," he said of #gaysfortrump. "I don't think that's going to change the Republicans' position on families."

Presler said he isn't deterred by the party platform.

He grew up in Florida and Fairfax County, and has lived in Virginia Beach for about a year. He graduated from George Mason University with a degree in criminal justice. His Twitter feed begins with an image of himself wearing a red Trump "Make America Great Again" hat.

The picture was liked and retweeted so many times it's been emotional, he said. He advises others: "Be proud of whom (sic) you are. Don't let anyone make you feel less, don't be fearful to go out in public."

The Second Amendment is one of the reasons he backs Trump over Clinton.

"I 100 percent believe in the notion that armed gays don't get bashed," he said. "It is our right to feel safe."

On gay rights, he noted Clinton's past opposition to gay marriage.

"Mr. Trump has actually been pushing for anti-discrimination against the LGBT community for decades," he said, drawing what he sees as a contrast with Clinton. "I wonder as a gay man if she is pandering for my vote. I wonder as a gay man if she's telling me what I want to hear."

In some of the stronger language Presler uses, he says Clinton takes money from countries "where people like me are thrown off of buildings."

He said he's referring to Saudi Arabia donating to the Clinton Foundation. When asked about Trump's suggestion this year that Saudi Arabia should have nuclear weapons, Presler said he wanted to focus on other issues.

Presler joined Republican officials this year in Norfolk at PrideFest, an event promoting inclusion and equality for LGBT people.

"I want to see more of that," he said. "I want to see more of us being inclusive and welcoming and accepting, and I think that this is going to go a long way with Mr. Trump as the next president to continue to build bridges between the Republican party and the LGBT community."

He said gays who are concerned about the platform but want to give Trump a try could join him in helping to create change.

"What I do want to offer to people is hope," he said. "If someone sees something in the platform that they don't want, join us, become a Republican, join our party, become an activist. I will help you."

State Del. Scott Taylor of Virginia Beach, the GOP's nominee for the 2nd Congressional District seat held by retiring Rep. Scott Rigell, spoke at PrideFest. He said this week of Presler: "He is a rock star. He's motivated. The guy's all over the place. He uses social media very effectively."

Trump announced Friday his choice of Indiana Gov. Mike Pence as his running mate.

State Sen. Adam Ebbin, D-Alexandria, a gay member of the Virginia legislature, issued a statement that read in part: "Mike Pence has driven Indiana backwards with an anti-LGBT law that legalized discrimination, hurt businesses and effectively treated people as second-class citizens based on who they love."

When asked about Pence on Friday, Presler said he needed to do some research on him.

Brad Kutner, editor of the LGBTQ news website GayRVA, said there are more gay conservatives in Virginia than many people realize, adding that an activist like Presler isn't surprising. But he called Presler misinformed.

"I don't know how conservative gays reconcile their beliefs with the party," he said. "It blows my mind."

By pledging to appoint Supreme Court justices in the mold of the late conservative Antonin Scalia, Trump would roll back marriage equality and gay rights, Kutner said.

Presler isn't having it.

"Speak out, or others will speak for you," read one of his tweets this week.

Patrick Wilson, 804-697-1564, patrick.wilson@pilotonline.com