CO GOP lawmaker's campaign outs own son to prove how anti-gay she is

Special place in hell for this mom.

Denver Post:

State Rep. Marsha Looper's campaign manager forwarded an e-mail to supporters that praised the lawmaker for voting against civil unions even though she has a gay son.

(H/t Taegan Goddard) Read the rest of this post...

More on Holyoke Massachusetts' 22 year old gay mayor

From Paul Gorrell at HuffPost:

He credits this focus on a new future as the energizing force for his campaign. Facing an incumbent, Alex experienced predictable doubts related to his age and experience. Going door to door to listen to residents' concerns and promote his optimistic vision, he was able to draw people into his passion, show them his knowledge of the issues, and demonstrate the obvious and contagious pride that he has in Holyoke itself.

In fact, he wears an "I Love Holyoke" button everywhere he goes. An early adopter of Alex's campaign provided him with the button, which is almost as old as he is, early in the campaign, and he began wearing it at events. "We made this campaign about civic pride.... [E]veryone started asking for them [the buttons], and we ordered a thousand, and they went within a week." He believes that his love for Holyoke will sustain him as he moves from campaigning to governing. This is not a typical college graduate who wanted to flee home as soon as the opportunity arose. This public school graduate wanted to give back and be part of a new, glorious future.

What's interesting about this is that it sounds like he was influenced by all those years of Gay Pride, whether he realizes it or not. Which would be interesting if Gay Pride helped a "straight" city find itself again through its a very good version of "straight pride." Read the rest of this post...

More from the Victory Fund on gay election victories yesterday

Gay, lesbian candidates win big across U.S.
Groundbreaking Victories in Indianapolis, Charlotte and Cincinnati

Washington, D.C. – Openly gay and lesbian candidates endorsed by the Gay & Lesbian Victory Fund won election to municipal, judicial and state legislative offices from coast to coast Tuesday night. At least 53 of the group’s 75 endorsees were victorious, with two races still undecided this morning.

Candidates in Indianapolis, Cincinnati and Charlotte, N.C., made history, becoming the first openly gay or lesbian candidates elected to those city councils. In Virginia, Adam Ebbin became the first openly gay person elected to the State Senate, and in New Jersey, Tim Eustace became the first non-incumbent openly gay candidate to win a seat in the State Assembly.

“The election of gay and lesbian candidates in places where they have never won before is a major step forward, and we could not be happier about these victories,” said Chuck Wolfe, president and CEO of the Victory Fund. “All of the openly LGBT candidates who stepped up to run for office this year are true leaders who deserve our profound thanks.”

Of the 75 candidates endorsed by the Victory Fund in 2011, 46 were non-incumbents, 22 were women, 15 were people of color and 6 were Republicans.

Key 2011 victories included:

· Zach Adamson, who becomes the first openly LGBT city councilmember in Indianapolis, Indiana;

· Caitlin Copple, an out lesbian who won a seat on the Missoula, Montana City Council;

· Adam Ebbin, a Virginia Delegate who becomes the first openly gay State Senator;

· Daniel Hernandez, Jr., the intern who helped save the life of Rep. Gabrielle Giffords, who was elected to his local school board in Pima County, Ariz.;

· Robin Kniech, an out lesbian who became the first openly LGBT member of the Denver, Colorado City Council;

· Mike Laster, who becomes the first openly gay man elected to the Houston, Texas City Council;

· LaWana Mayfield, who will be the first openly LGBT city councilmember in Charlotte, North Carolina;

· Alex Morse, a 22-year-old gay man who won his race for mayor of Holyoke, Massachusetts;

· Annise Parker, who was reelected as mayor of Houston, Texas;

· Chris Seelbach, who made history as the first openly LGBT candidate to win a seat on the Cincinnati, Ohio City Council

Read the rest of this post...

TON of gay wins at the ballot box yesterday

Assembled with the help of a friend:

Ken Zalewski enters his third term as Troy, NY's first and only openly gay city council member.

Mike Laster -- first openly gay man on Houston City Council

Adam Ebbin elected first openly gay state Senator in Virginia

Bruce Harris was elected mayor of Chatham Borough, N.J. He's likely the nation's first openly gay, African American, Republican mayor.

Openly gay Ryan Mello elected to Tacoma, Wash., City Council

Right wing bigot Paul Scott recalled in Michigan. He was not a nice young man.

Cincinnati elects first openly gay city council member.

The Iowa Independent reports that the "final" results in the balance-of-power state Senate special election race went to the Democrat, Liz Mathis. With 55.8 percent of the vote, she bested Republican Cindy Golding, who received 43.52 percent of the vote. Mathis's victory means the state Senate stays in Democratic control, stopping an attempt at reversing marriage equality in the state.

Charlotte, NC elects first openly gay official.

Traverse City, Mich., votes to retain LGBT-inclusive city nondiscrimination ordinance

Indianapolis gets first gay city council member.

Holyoke, MA elects 22 year old gay mayor, nation's youngest mayor.

Houston re-elects lesbian Mayor Annise Parker | Biggest U.S. city with a gay mayor

With more than 99 percent of the precincts counted, out lesbian Houston Mayor Annise Parker appears to have won re-election with no run-off, defeating five challengers. With 50.85 percent of the vote for Parker, her nearest challenger stands at 14.81 percent of the vote.

Tim Eustace becomes 2nd openly gay member of N.J. Legislature

Gay candidate Daryl Finizio elected mayor of New London, Conn.

Lesbian wins election to Missoula, Montana, City Council

Gabriel Giffords intern, gay hero Daniel Hernandez Jr., elected to Tucson, Ariz. school board

Read the rest of this post...

Adam Ebbin elected first openly gay state Senator in Virginia

I've known Adam for years, this is great news. Read the rest of this post...

Adam Ebbin won his Senate primary tonight in Virginia

Congrats to Adam Ebbin.

Delegate Ebbin won Democratic primary for Virginia's 30th Senate District tonight. He's up by over 300 votes in a three-way race with just one precinct left to report. Approximately 12,000 votes were cast in this race.

Adam is the only openly gay member of the Virginia legislature. And, he will continue to have that distinction, but now as Senator Ebbin. This is a solidly Democratic district, so the primary is the key battle.

At Blue Virginia, Adam's victory was called an "upset win." It was a close race, but he pulled it out. Adam had a great team. To win a low turnout primary in late August takes a strong organization. And, a shout out to Lisa Turner who was a key campaign adviser. She sent us a statement tonight:

This is another step forward for all Virginians. And next year the anti gay forces like AG Ken Cuccinelli will have to answer to Senator Adam Ebbin.

Love that.

Read the rest of this post...

Former GOP candidate Christine "I am not a witch" O’Donnell leaves set when asked about gay issues on CNN

Very weird. Compelling too. Former GOP Senate candidate, Christine "I am not a witch" O'Donnell kind of freaked out over CNN simply asking her questions about gay marriage and "Don't Ask, Don't Tell." It's really fascinating. The GOP clearly doesn't want to touch our issues. Well, they still want to bash us in the Constitution and Boehner is still defending DOMA, but I mean that they're growing increasingly uncomfortable with having to talk about our issues. It's almost as if they want to bash us quietly, so only their base will know, out of fear that the rest of America, and their own voters, won't like it.

Read the rest of this post...

EqualityMaine considering 2012, 2016 or 2020 to bring marriage back to voters

The Portland Press Herald is reporting that EqualityMaine is considering the next three presidential election years ('12, '16 or '20) to bring the issue of marriage equality before Maine voters again.

There are compelling reasons to consider 2012, 2016 or 2020, said Betsy Smith, executive director of the state's largest group representing lesbian and gay couples. Presidential elections are when two groups generally supportive of the gay-right movement -- progressives and young people -- are more likely to vote, she said.

At a recent annual dinner, Smith said she told the crowd she hopes they don't have to wait until 2020 or even 2016 to bring the issue back to voters. In an interview, she was quick to point out that the group must continue to win over voters before they decide when to try again.

Smith didn't give a clear sense of the likelihood of it being brought up in 2012, instead saying they'd decide in early 2012. They'd start collecting signatures to put it on the ballot before that (though that decision has not yet been made), but would hold off on making the call.

I've heard and understand the arguments for waiting, but I tend to think that we need to bring it back sooner rather than later. As others here have noted, trend lines on the issue of marriage are headed our way, and it seems to me that an addition four years of waiting is just too long to ask people to put their lives (or at least equal protections under state law) on hold.

Your thoughts? Read the rest of this post...

Chicago has another openly gay alderman

Congrats to Alderman-elect James Cappleman. From the Victory Fund:

James Cappleman has won a runoff election Tuesday to represent the 46th Ward on the Chicago City Council. Cappleman will become Chicago’s second openly gay alderman on a city council of 50 members.

“This victory is about the future of Chicago and the future of the 46th Ward and all who live here. We set out to change our community, and I’m so grateful that the Victory Fund stood with us and helped us do that. Never believe that you can’t change politics as usual. You can, and we have,” said Cappleman, who celebrated his win Tuesday night.

More from Chicago Pride:

Cappleman, a former teacher, licensed social worker and community activist, will now represent the Uptown district of Chicago replacing long time Alderman Helen Shiller who did not run for re-election after 24 years of service.

The 46th ward includes Uptown, part of Edgewater and Lakeview.

Cappleman's long-time partner of 18 years, Richard Thale, is chair of the 23rd Police District's Court Advocacy Committee and a CAPS facilitator for Beat 2312.

Read the rest of this post...

Colorado Democrats choose Rick Palacio, openly gay, as new Party Chair

Congrats to Rick Palacio, the openly gay man who will lead the Colorado Democratic Party heading into 2012.

I met Rick when he worked on the Hill for Minority Whip Steny Hoyer. Really good guy.

Colorado is going to be a battleground state in 2012. Read the rest of this post...

Gingrich: Wife #3 and I made a movie about the Pope, so my divorces and adulterous affairs don't count

Newt Gingrich wants to be President of the United States. So, he's reintroducing himself to the American people as a devout Catholic. He and his wife, Calista (with whom he was having an affair during his second marriage to Marianne), even made a documentary about Pope John Paul II. How much more Catholic and good and kind and decent can one get. According to the NY Times, the new Newt "Puts Focus on Faith":

On a recent winter night here, Mr. Gingrich, 67, stood on stage at a Catholic school with his wife, Callista, and introduced a film they produced about the role Pope John Paul II played in the fall of Communism in Poland. As Mr. Gingrich looked out over a crowd of 1,300 people, he warned that the United States had become too secular a society.

“To a surprising degree, we are in a situation similar to Poland’s in 1979,” he told the audience, which had gathered at a banquet for Ohio Right to Life, one of the nation’s oldest anti-abortion groups. “In America, religious belief is being challenged by a cultural elite trying to create a secularized America, in which God is driven out of public life.”

Here's the thing for Newt: If he wants to make religion and morals an issue, we'll play along -- and encourage the media to do that, too. That means a lot of talk about the issue of his two divorces, two affairs and three marriages. Seems like that might interfere with his new messaging. Newt thinks he can use his new found moral authority to trash the LGBT community in America. He's done that before. This time, we're going to hit back at every opportunity.

Newt is a fraud and a hypocrite. Although, some are falling for it:

Dr. Jack Willke, an early leader in the anti-abortion movement in Ohio and across the country, was among those waiting for an autograph. Dr. Willke said he was delighted that Mr. Gingrich had increased the role of faith in his public appearances, something that he said he did not recall during Mr. Gingrich’s tenure as speaker of the House.

“We were there long before he was,” Mr. Willke said. “It was never a big public thing for Newt, but he’s surfaced now as considerably more so.”

As Dr. Willke and his wife, Barbara, mingled with others in the crowd, Mrs. Willke said she was delighted to read about Mr. Gingrich’s baptism as a Catholic in March 2009. When one woman asked about his conversion, Mrs. Willke replied: “His Catholicism certainly sounds legit, and even more so since Callista is in the picture now.”

And, how Callista (a.k.a. the third Mrs. Gingrich who helped Newt cheat on the second Mrs. Gingrich) got into the picture is going to be part of the campaign story.

Before any of the sanctimonious inside-the-beltway types start saying this should all be off limits, remember, Newt is making trying to make LGBT families a political issue. It's fair play. Read the rest of this post...

When thrice-married/adulterer/hypocrite Newt got busted by a college student

I love this Newt Gingrich story so much.

This morning, I read the articles about Newt getting challenged by a Penn student for being anti-gay despite the fact that he's an adulterous hypocrite. Before I could write a post, the DOMA story broke. Tonight, Matt Ortega posted the details, with video, at AMERICAblog Elections in a post titled, Gingrich's adultery called out to his face.

So, big hat tip to Isabel Friedman, the President of Penn Democrats, for speaking truth to power. She did what all the DC pundits and reporters won't do. They all know Newt has no business talking about family values, but they let him get away with it. Isabel Friedman didn't.

Gingrich is such a blatant hypocrite. I'm beginning to think that his adulterous, multi-marriage past is akin to Rick Santorum's Santorum. It's going to dog him throughout this campaign. Read the rest of this post...

Prospective 2012 GOPer Michele Bachmann is worried about gays causing 'bubbles'

Michele Bachmann was in Iowa over the weekend. She's thinking about running for President. And, she's worried about bubbles. As you might imagine, some of those bubbles involve her intense homophobia:

“The family is on a bubble right now. The rate of cohabitating couples in one year increased 13 percent,” she said. “The family is the ultimate first form and first unit in government and society.”

She added, “The bureaucrats now hate our values; there’s a war on marriage, a war on family, a war on fertility all while funding and promoting abortion.”

Bachmann continued, “We don’t need political correctness because most fundamentally I believe the building block of the family is what the government needs to do right now and support two-parent families as the foundation of our economic and social policy.”

She said for that reason, social issues need to be a priority. “We can’t put the so called social issues on the back burner while we are solving our economic challenges because the family is the solution to those challenges.”

Yet another bubble Bachmann sees is the “national security bubble,” and the repeal of Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell, the ban on gay and lesbian servicemembers repealed by the U.S. Senate in December, is one of those things that is creating the bubble.

“President Obama is applying a politically correct standard to the United States military that cannot be tolerated in our country,” she said, adding that Obama is babying jihadists.

Well, only 80% of the American people support repealing DADT. Yet, in Bachmann's world, it can't be tolerated.

I think Bachmann is going to really going to give Santorum a contest over who is the most homophobic candidate. Read the rest of this post...

Trump Spokesperson Tries to explain Trump flip-flops on marriage and choice

Joe posted about the hypocrisy of three-time marriage loser Trump intimating he somehow has the moral authority to declare he is against gay marriage. Kombiz, over at AMERICAblog Elections posted this one, and I agree it is the best, and most ridiculous, quote of the week by Trump's special counsel in a weak attempt to explain away "The Donald's" flip flop on gay marriage and choice for women.

“People change their positions all the time, the way they change their wives,’’ said Cohen, executive vice president of the Trump Organization and the founder of a website called ShouldTrumpRun.com.

Yea, take that! Ask Ivana. She'll tell ya! Read the rest of this post...

Gay conservative group attacks GOP prez hopeful Pawlenty

Cat fight! Read the rest of this post...

Pawlenty now says he'd defund DADT even if SecDef and Chairman of Jt Chiefs disagree with him

You see, according to President-wannabe Pawlenty, we should run the military by taking a poll of the troops, and even if they disagree with the Secretary of Defense and the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs, we should do what the troops want.

That's not the way you run a military. And if the man wants to be commander in chief, he should know that. More from Kombiz at AMERICAblog Elections: The Right's Field (see the update at the bottom of the post). And here is Joe's earlier post on this. Read the rest of this post...

Washington Post profiles potential GOP presidential candidate Fred Karger

Quite a profile of Fred Karger in today's Washington Post:

He's exploring the possibility of running for president of the United States.

He is doing this as an openly gay Republican who's never held elective office, using money he amassed as a conservative consultant who helped torpedo Michael Dukakis with the Willie Horton ads in 1988 and worked for the tobacco industry to stave off smoking bans in California in the '90s.

Fred Karger, 61, is a nice guy.

He wants his country to see that. He wants young gay people to see him run for president. He'd be the first-ever openly gay presidential candidate for a major party if he formally declares. He can see himself as the moderate voice in a debate crowded with hard-liners.

He has visited New Hampshire more than any other presidential prospector in this young election cycle. This skiddy late-night ride from a gathering in Keene to his Concord hotel is part of his 11th trip to the state in the past year. He's slingshotting around, hosting tiny town halls, collecting volunteers one by one and arranging coffee dates with policy experts, academics and state politicians.

This is not a stunt, Fred insists.

I met Fred a couple weeks ago. He knows exactly what he's doing. It's not a stunt. His website is here. Read the rest of this post...

GOPer Pawlenty engages in political gay-bashing on hate group radio show

Alvin McEwen from Holy Bullies and Headless Monsters sent this news about prospective GOP presidential candidate Tim Pawlenty jumping on the gay bashing bandwagon while on the radio show of the designated hate group American Family Association's Bryan Fischer. Pawlenty uttered all the usual anti-gay talking points. And, he also said he'd reinstate Don't Ask, Don't Tell. You know, because only 80% of the American people support ending that policy. Right Wing Watch got it on video:



Alvin provided some context and excellent commentary:

As we all know, the AFA has been called an anti-gay hate group by the Southern Poverty Law Center and mostly because of comments made by [AFA's Bryan] Fischer.

However Pawlenty was only interested in playing nice with Fischer, even to the point of talking positively of reinstating Don't Ask, Don't Tell:

Bryan, I have been a public and repeat supporter of maintaining Don't Ask, Don't Tell. There's a lot of reasons for that, but if you look at how the combat commanders and the combat units feel about it, the results of those kinds of surveys were different than the ones that were mostly reported in the newspaper and that is something I think we need to pay attention to. But I have been a public supporter of maintaining Don't Ask, Don't Tell and I would support reinstating it as well.

Now why a prospective presidential candidate would grace a program from someone who voices such awful opinions is beyond me. Let's be clear about something - if Fischer's comments had been racist or anti-Semitic, Pawlenty wouldn't have dared to come on his program.

But since they pertaining to the lgbt community, some folks may think that these comments and Pawlenty's appearance on the program of the person making then are both okay.

And it's par for the course for Pawlenty.

And, it will be par for the course for most of the GOP presidential candidates -- except Fred Karger -- as the campaign unfolds. Read the rest of this post...

Wash. Post names Cicilline as one of the 'Freshmen to Watch'

Rhode Island is providing the good news today. As the new Congress convenes, the fourth openly gay member, David Cicilline from Rhode Island, will be sworn in.

Today, the Washington Post profiled ten "Freshmen to Watch." Most of those named are hard-core right wingers, like Allen West from Florida. Only two Democrats made the list, Senator Chris Coons from Delaware and Cicilline:

Read the rest of this post...

Playing to win equality: The 'aggressive attitude' of Fight Back New York

Ben Smith and Byron Tau wrote a profile of Fight Back New York, that's about more than just that group. It's about a shift in how gay groups are playing politics. Some at least are playing to win:

“We’re at a point of time where the national conversation around marriage in a lot of states has moved to a point where it’s no longer acceptable to not be there,” said Bill Smith, the deputy executive director of the Gill Action Fund, the donor’s political arm.

“This is the first time we’re going to name names and say, ‘We’re coming to get you because you’re against marriage equality,’” said Smith. “The point is, when you vote against marriage equality, there are consequences.”

Yes, thanks to Fight Back New York, there were consequences in that state this year. If we're going to succeed, we can't just play nice. Elected officials don't respond to nice. They respond to fear of losing, especially in primaries.

New York's elections were the proving grounds this year:

Gay donors “came out of the closet with this,” said David Mixner, a veteran gay activist who called the New York campaign “transformational.”

With same-sex marriage battles ramping up this year in Maryland, Rhode Island and New York (again), the new strategy, said Smith, is a shift to offense.

“In the past, the [lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender] community has been more carrot, less stick,” he said. “Now I would say, ‘Have stick, will travel.’”

This newly aggressive attitude comes from 2010 results that were truly striking: The group, despite playing in just three carefully targeted districts, spent more money in New York — $790,000 — than any other outside group. The money went to negative mailings, television ads and get-out-the-vote calls. By November, Fight Back New York had helped unseat all three incumbent legislators, something almost unheard of in Albany, and to defeat another Republican candidate who opposed same-sex marriage.

This is how the NRA engages in politics. It works.

We don't need more "friends" in Congress and State Legislatures. We need more people to vote for our issues. I don't care if they like us. I prefer that they fear us. I just want them to vote for full equality. Read the rest of this post...