Black drag performance drawing praise from democrats, nearly all republicans boycott

SALEM, Ore. (KATU) — A Black drag performance on the Oregon House Floor received a mixed response from state representatives on Wednesday.

Performers Isaiah Esquire and Aqua Flora kicked off Wednesday’s floor session as they danced through the aisles of the House Chamber. Several state Democrats clapped along, cheering on the two performers.

“Normally, colleagues, we don’t applaud during performances, but there are times when I think exceptions are appropriate,” said Speaker Pro Tempore David Gomberg, D-District 10, following the performance.

State Rep. Travis Nelson, D-NE Portland, invited the performers, the first openly LGBTQ African American member of the House of Representatives. Nelson is the sponsor of House Concurrent Resolution 3, which honors the history of Black drag in Oregon.

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Nelson said he wanted the cultural and artistic contributions of Black drag queens in Oregon to get the attention that they deserve during Pride Month. He said he originally brought the resolution forward in February during Black History Month, but plans fell through.

“This resolution was something that was really important for me,” said Nelson. “We do a lot of resolutions in this building. Rarely do we ever acknowledge the contributions of folks from the LGBTQ community, and I’ve never known any legislature in the country to recognize the contributions of drag queens.”

The performance received a standing ovation from the lawmakers who were present. Only one state Republican, Rep. Cyrus Javadi, R-District 32, remained at their desk for the performance. Javadi spoke in support of the resolution following the performance.

“I support the spirit of this resolution because it affirms that no matter who you are, or what you believe, you matter and you’re welcome here,” said Javadi.

Other state Republicans either left the chamber for the performance or sat in the back of the room. The resolution passed the Oregon House by a 34-9 vote, with all no votes cast by Republicans except for Javadi and Representative Kevin Mannix, R-District 21.

House Minority Leader Rep. Christine Drazan, R-Canby, issued the following statement:

Yesterday’s ill-advised performance broke our chamber protocols and standards for opening ceremonies in the Oregon House of Representatives. Turning the House Floor into a smokey bar is beneath the dignity of this body. Opening ceremonies are not the time or place for ostentatious displays of political symbols and social activism.

State Rep. Dwayne Yunker, R-Grants Pass, has been vocal in his opposition to the performance. In a series of social media posts on X, Yunker wrote that the performance was a “complete waste of taxpayer money.”

“I’m not sure the Founding Fathers envisioned taxpayer-funded legislative chambers being turned into platforms for political theater. The House floor is meant for serious debate, lawmaking, and serving all Oregonians, not partisan spectacles designed to push cultural agendas,” said Yunker in a social media post.

Nelson laughed off the idea that the performers were paid with taxpayer dollars. He stated that performers who participate in the opening ceremonies do so without receiving any compensation from the Oregon legislature.

“I don’t know where that was coming from. There was no taxpayer money associated with this,” said Nelson.

Yunker issued the following statement to KATU:

The Democrats’ stunt yesterday—staging a salacious drag performance in front of children in the gallery of our beautiful House chamber—was an embarrassing display of political theater that disrespected the dignity of the institution and the seriousness of the work Oregonians expect us to do.

Nelson said that two of his Republican colleagues approached him before the performance, saying they respected their right to perform but were morally opposed to the performance in the chamber.

“It’s really sad to me that in 2025 we still have folks who do not see the value, do not see the contribution that folks from the LGBTQ community make to our state,” said Nelson.

Nelson dismissed the idea that this was a waste of time for lawmakers, pointing out that lawmakers spent a much longer amount of time discussing the official steak of Oregon the day before.

“I think it was close to an hour debating whether to make the T-bone steak, the official steak of Oregon, and that didn’t have any type of backlash, and nobody said anything about that,” said Nelson.