Sex and the GOP

In this week's video chat, Claire Potter and historian Neil J. Young discuss the latest political news--and why so many sex scandals arise in the Republican Party

Photo credit: metamorworks/Shutterstock

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It’s 38 sunrises to election day, political junkies! Do you know where your polling place is?

In today’s episode, Neil and Claire zoom in on the Republican Party’s sexual deshabille. Earlier in the month, right-wing conspiracy theorist/media personality Laura Loomer began traveling with Republican Presidential candidate and Former Guy Donald J. Trump: predictably, given his history and the fact that they kept touching each other, there were rumors that she and Trump were doing the horizontal bop.

During this period, Loomer posted to X about bachelor Senator Lindsey Graham (R-SC): “Lindsey Graham has never been loyal to President Trump. When is Lindsey coming out of the closet? We all know you’re gay, Lindsey… and that’s ok.” In our conversation, Neil and Claire talk about why this is considered an unprecedented attack on Capitol Hill, other mockery of Graham that it has triggered, and why we are keeping a close watch on it.

There’s more! Claire and Neil discuss the porn scandal engulfing North Carolina Lieutenant Governor Mark Robinson, who is running for governor in that state and could depress Republican voter turnout for Trump (SAD!) We then spill some tea about what Republican Representative Matt Gaetz (FL-01) can’t seem to put to bed: among them are almost four years of allegations that he did some Very Bad Things with some Very Young Girls in 2017.

But first, we talk about how this election is stacking up in the electoral college, possible split ticket voting in Arizona, and the mythical Latino vote. We close with two stories—both about gender and modern evangelical Christianity—that we want to go viral this week.

Here’s a taste of today’s show, fully available only to paying subscribers:

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Your hosts:

Claire Potter is a historian of politics and media, a writer, a podcaster, and the sole author and editor of the Political Junkie Substack. Her most recent book is Political Junkies: From Talk Radio to Twitter, How Alternative Media Hooked Us on Politics and Broke Our Democracy (Basic Books, 2020), and she is currently writing a biography of feminist journalist Susan Brownmiller.

Neil J. Young is a historian of religion and politics, a journalist, and a former co-host of the Past Present podcast. His most recent book is Coming Out Republican: A History of the Gay Right (University of Chicago Press, 2024).