House Democrats’ preferred Arizona candidate draws backlash over anti-LGBTQ+ campaign attacks

A Democratic congressional primary in Arizona has erupted into a fight over LGBTQ+ rights, with outside groups accusing former state Rep. Amish Shah of supporting conversion therapy and state advocates calling the attacks false. Political ads airing in Arizona attack Democrat Shah over a bill they claim would allow conversion therapy in the state. But LGBTQ+ advocates who helped craft the legislation say it did the opposite.Now, many are expressing anger at the groups attacking him and connecting them to Shah’s Democratic primary opponent, Marlene Galán-Woods, a veteran broadcaster and former Republican who supported anti-LGBTQ+ leaders in the past. Some LGBTQ+ leaders in the state are questioning Galán-Woods’ commitment to the community — and asking why House Democrats in Washington are supporting her campaign.LGBTQ+ advocates call the ads dishonestMichael Soto, president of Equality Arizona, took issue with a recent spate of ads paid for by several super PACs. That’s partly because he and Equality Arizona helped write Shah’s 2022 bill, which would have threatened the professional licenses of therapists offering services intended to change a person’s sexual orientation or gender identity.Related: Arizona Democrat Ruben Gallego adopts anti-trans, far-right talking points“We worked with then-Rep. Shah to put these bills forward to put equality and fairness for all Arizonans forward, a comprehensive non-discrimination bill for LGBTQ Arizonans. It also had a conversion therapy ban,” Soto told The Advocate. “We wanted to make sure to correct the record, because they're not only lying about Amish's record but also lying about our record.”A group called Pro-Choice Majority Action, which could not be reached for comment, has produced ads attacking Shah for writing legislation that supposedly allowed “forced conversion therapy on Arizona youth,” the Arizona Republic reported. Others say those aren’t the only ads from third-party groups making sim