In this episode, I sit down with one of the most unexpected — and fearless — figures in modern LGBTQ political history: Fred Karger.

Before he became a nationally recognized LGBTQ activist, Fred was a longtime Republican political consultant working inside the GOP at the highest levels. But in 2004, after retiring from political consulting and taking a life-changing trip to Peru, everything shifted.

What started as a local fight to save Laguna Beach’s historic Boom Boom Room — one of the country’s oldest gay bars — became the moment that publicly brought him out at age 53 and launched him into full-time activism.

We talk about how that campaign (“Save the Boom”) ignited something bigger. After California’s Proposition 8 passed in 2008, Fred founded Californians Against Hate, targeting the major donors behind the anti-marriage equality movement. Instead of yelling into the void, he focused on strategy:

• Publicly tracking Prop 8 donors
• Publishing a “dishonor roll”
• Organizing high-profile boycotts — including the Manchester Grand Hyatt
• Forcing accountability through economic pressure

Those efforts cost businesses millions and ultimately pushed several donors to redirect money toward LGBTQ causes.

Fred also details his years-long battle exposing the Mormon Church’s behind-the-scenes involvement in Prop 8, filing ethics complaints across multiple states, facing threats and subpoenas, and refusing to back down.

Then we get into history.

In 2012, Fred became the first openly gay major-party candidate to run for President of the United States as a Republican. We talk about:

• Why he decided to run
• His experience campaigning in New Hampshire
• Media breakthroughs
• What it was like challenging his own party
• The global impact of that historic candidacy

This conversation isn’t just about the past. It’s about strategy, courage, and what effective activism actually looks like. Fred shares his rules for winning political change, lessons from independent organizing, and why voter registration and campaign involvement still matter more than outrage.

We also discuss his two books and how he wants his legacy — as an activist and as a presidential candidate — to be remembered.

If you care about LGBTQ political history, marriage equality, the fight over Prop 8, or how to create real accountability in politics, this is a conversation you need to hear.

For more about Fred Karger check out his website https://fredkarger.com/

And also “FRED” the documentary https://youtu.be/sb6__cDI1o4

You can write to us at: Questions@DukesDownload.com

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