[MplsSteve]

This is a first for Minnesota politics to have a GOP legislator come out of the closet.

The interesting thing is that this guy's voting record seems anything but that of a liberal Republican.

So what does the local GOP do? Do they say "We love the sinner but hate the sin" and support him for re-election OR does he get shown the door?

Opinions anyone?

[coder2]

Koering is my senator. I've known he was gay for quite some time. I have met him numerous times and he is not a liberal at all.

How he lives his personal live is no business of mine, and he can win again in this area.

The question really should be how does he represent this area and I'm really hoping the GOP will not play "politics" on this one (but you can bet the DFL will). Can't believe it was ever a secret in the GOP.

[Electrowoman]

Was he "outed", or was this just common knowledge that the Senator confirmed? I take it he's not just a Republican, he's a conservative?

[sarasota]

Any comment?

[stevio]

I like to have a few drinks every now and again. I don't promote drinking to underage kids nor do I say that it's the best way to live life. If he keeps his private life private and votes conservative, I would vote for him.

[SoFloFreeper]

However, Koering, 40, a businessman and former dairy farmer from Fort Ripley, said his "coming out" does not change his position that the state's voters should be allowed to decide whether to ban same-sex marriage, nor his basic conservative philosophy.

I have no problem with this guy serving; he is consistent.

[JohnnyZ]

And then with the vote that I took last week [breaking with Republicans on a procedural vote on the amendment],

What was the procedural vote?

[Psalm 73]

"....GOP legislator come out of the closet."

Another lost soul listening to the lies of the Deceiver.

[reagan_fanatic]

Most people could care less what you do behind closed doors. It's your business. But when you try to legislate homosexuality and push for legalized gay marriage, organize parades down my street and fondle and kiss each other in public, that's when society turns against you.

If the Senator keeps his preference behind closed doors and doesn't parade it in public or push a gay agenda, I don't see any reason not to support him.

[longtermmemmory]

If it was no big deal, why was he in the closet? Why decieve the people?

The real issue is whether he will continue to vote conservative. However IF he had competition in a primary, I would vote for the other republican.

[Dan from Michigan]

If I lived in his district, I wouldn't care unless he shoved his personal life in everyone's faces. It seems that he isn't doing that, and just wants the media to leave him alone about it. I can't blame him for that.

If he votes right on the issues and isn't shady, then I'd still vote for him.

[BibChr]

Thanks for posting this. It's given me an idea for an entry in my blog; I'll work on it for awhile before putting it up (i.e. probably a few days).

As to how it affects him as a state senator, to all those who (like Clinton's defenders) say "It's just his private life," I'd offer this thought:

If a man wanted hold a position where he'd be influential in financial matters, would it matter if you learned that, in his private life, he believed that 1 + 1 = 3.92? Of course it would.

So here we have an office where moral clarity matters. You learn that a man who wants to retain that office doesn't have the minimal moral clarity it takes to figure out that homosexual desires are immoral and should not be embraced.

Should that matter?

Dan
Biblical Christianity BLOG