Gay rights activist Fred Karger is
running for president. The Republican filed his paperwork with the
FEC on Wednesday.
“Today is a very significant day for
my community and me,” Karger said in a statement. “I have just
submitted my papers to the Federal Election Commission, making me the
first candidate to file for the 2012 Republican nomination for
President.”
The former GOP consultant announced he
was a considering a run at the White House last year in New Orleans
during the annual Southern Republican Leadership Conference (SRLC),
the most prominent Republican meet up outside of the Republican
National Convention.
He went on to form a presidential
exploratory committee, stumped in early caucus states New Hampshire
and Iowa, and released ads in those states.
The 61-year-old Karger, who in 2008
founded Californians Against Hate, a group that led boycotts against
major donors to Proposition 8, California's voter-approved gay
marriage ban, has been iced out of several GOP forums organized by
social conservatives.
“I'm a fighter,” Karger told Radio
Iowa. “I'm fighting for millions of people around this country who
are members of my community and so many others who are deemed second
class citizens. We will no longer accept that classification.”
In announcing his candidacy, Karger
said he wanted to show LGBT teens that anything is possible.
“I want to send a loud and clear
message to anyone who is gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender or
queer, that you can do anything you want to do in this country.”
“You can even run for President of
the United States.”