Pride flag

Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick, a Pennsylvania Republican running for reelection in the 1st Congressional District, touted an endorsement from American Unity Fund last week, sharing a photo of himself with a rainbow-colored sign and pledging to "defend and protect the rights, dignity, and freedom of every American." At the same time, the National Republican Congressional Committee's attack website targeting his Democratic challenger, Bucks County Commissioner Bob Harvie, features Pride-related photos among materials aimed at discrediting him, including a video claiming he misused opioid settlement funds for "trans sex parties for kids."

Harvie called on Fitzpatrick to denounce the tactics and remove the website, arguing the congressman's independence is undermined by ties to Donald Trump, Mike Johnson, and Washington Republicans. American Unity Fund, despite backing Fitzpatrick's support for nondiscrimination protections, opposes gender-affirming care for minors and backed a Supreme Court challenge to a state conversion-therapy ban. Fitzpatrick did break with his party earlier this year by voting against criminalizing such care. LGBTQ+ advocate Liz Bradbury said moderate Republicans like Fitzpatrick still help sustain a leadership hostile to broader LGBTQ+ rights. Neither Fitzpatrick, the NRCC, nor American Unity Fund responded to requests for comment.