Posted on 06/22/2006 9:16:59 AM PDT by NormsRevenge
If you're looking for a gay candidate to vote for in this fall's California legislative races, there are several out there. But they're more likely to be Republicans than Democrats.
GOP voters nominated five openly gay candidates in Assembly races. But all five will face general elections in urban districts with heavy Democratic registration advantages. This group includes William Chan in Sacramento (AD 9), Ralph Denney in northern San Diego (AD 76), Brenda Carol Green in South Central Los Angeles (AD 48), Mark Patrosso in San Jose (AD 23), and Steven Mark Sion in West Hollywood (AD 42). Only Denney and Sion ran opposed, but each won by at least 10 points.
By contrast, Democrats, who traditionally are far more supportive of gay causes, will only have two openly gay candidates in California legislative races this fall (Assembly incumbents John Laird, D-Santa Cruz, and Mark Leno, D-San Francisco).
Elena Popp--the lesbian candidate that Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgendered (LGBT) Caucus chair Assemblywoman Jackie Goldberg, D-Los Angeles, endorsed to replace her--came in third in the Democratic primary.
The only other openly gay non-incumbent seeking a Democratic nomination, Palm Springs Mayor Ron Oden, also lost in AD 80. The Senate currently has three openly gay Democrats: Christine Kehoe of San Diego, Sheila Kuehl of Santa Monica and Carol Migden of San Francisco--but none have to run for re-election this year.
All five gay GOP Assembly candidates will be endorsed by the California Log Cabin Republicans, according to the group's director, Jeff Bissiri. Bissiri admits they will face a tough time this fall, running in districts where Democrats hold a registration advantage varying from 54 percent to 20 percent. In 2004, Democrats took these seats by an average margin of 71 percent to 22 percent. This year, AD 23 will feature a rematch between Patrosso and Assemblyman Joe Coto, D-San Jose, who trounced the Log Cabin candidate by 39 points in 2004.
"We understand that it's an uphill battle in the elections," said Bissiri. "But they have the bully pulpits through the election."
However, some in the GOP vigorously oppose log cabin candidates. The writers of the hyper-conservative Free Republic Web site characterize the Log Cabin Republicans as "an [organization] shoving homosexual agendas on the GOP." For Patrosso's race in the AD 23, where he ran unopposed, Free Republic urged readers to either write in a candidate or not vote.
Mike Spence, president of the conservative California Republican Assembly, said that his group did not get involved in the races the Log Cabin candidates won. They only endorsed one, picking Sion's opponent, former police office Clark Baker, in the 42nd. However, he questioned whether someone could be both gay and conservative.
"I haven't met a social liberal who was a fiscal conservative yet," Spence said.
Sion, 43, described himself as a limited-government conservative who is very concerned about illegal immigration. On the all important gay-marriage question, he said that he supports "full and equal rights" for gays and lesbians, but is not necessarily worried about whether the word "marriage" is attached to these rights.
Denney, 52, largely echoed these positions. He's a former Democrat who said "the party left me" around 1976. While he also supports "full and equal" rights, he espouses a more incremental approach designed to avoid a backlash and address the thorny problem of Proposition 22, the 2000 initiative that stated, "Only marriage between a man and a woman is valid or recognized in California."
"The attempt to pass gay marriage was a cynical attempt to embarrass a governor who, up until that point, had been recognized by Equality California and the Human Rights Campaign as the most gay-friendly governor in history," Denney said.
"To suggest that Dolores Huerta, Alice Huffman, the California Council of Churches, all of the civil rights groups, all the parents and children who supported the effort, and I are being cynical doesn't even merit a response," Leno replied. "What is cynical is Republicans running gay candidates specifically and only running in districts where they will not have a possibility of winning."
Leno added that he believes the LGBT Caucus to be a Democratic caucus--especially considering the complete lack of support among legislative Republicans on issues important to gay people.
No matter what happens in November, however, the Log Cabin Republicans say they are here to stay. The group ran 11 legislative candidates in 2004--both Denney and Green lost Senate GOP primaries. They won six nominations, though only one was a contested race. These wins, possibly because so many California districts are safe Democratic seats, have allowed the group to put together a growing roster of seats on state and county Republican Central Committees.
It is no coincidence that the relatively gay-friendly Schwarzenegger is the most successful Republican in recent California history, Bissiri said, even as he goes against the divisive politics that have served the GOP well elsewhere in the country.
"The Republican Party in California will be a permanent minority party if we adopt that model," Bissiri said.
"The Republican Party in California will be a permanent minority party if we adopt that model," ..
and that seems to be OK with some folks here at FR. Go figure.
It's all in the capital "R": that means everything to many.
Well, at least they're Republicans... < /S >
A gay Republican is far less likely to push their "lifestyle" on you than a straight Democrat.
Hear that, Jim? I need muh straightjacket man! And my padded cell before I go into convulsions here!
Yes, they will tell you first before screwing you.
Whatever happened to privacy? Why do people insist on defining themselves by their sexual proclivities?
I don't understand what point you are making. It seems you are saying the Republicans should adopt Democrat platform planks to not be a minority party, but it's hard to tell if that is what you are saying.
This is why I'm voting for the Real Deal, Angelides. Rinold is toast !
Way to go FR. Anything else is a lesson in how to lose even if you win.
That is a question which is never answered and a complete and utter mystery other than the fact that they wish to compel others to accept their behavior. Beyond that there is no reason to disclose one's sexual activity.
What about a Republican K9 party? You know, Republican's who have sexual relations with their dog. Do they have special announcements for these people to run for office? Sheesh.
Whatever happened to privacy? Why do people insist on defining themselves by their sexual proclivities?
They want to be considered
"Normal".
I am simply saying there are supporters for the GLBT agenda here at FR and in the Ca GOP leadership and in the
New Majority who are pushing things down other folks throats in a quest for power, pure and simple.
Well, at least the author didn't call us hyper-constipated. :-o
FR, a wholesome nutritional fiber for the sane masses.
Am I banned yet? lolol
That's the Gay (BLEEP-BLEEPER) that authored that abomination that Schwartzenrenegger signed, called the "Sierra-Nevada CONservancy!"
What a horrific insult to all the conservatives in the huge Sierra-Nevada mountain range to be saddled with another layer of nonsensical government by a queer Commonist and a queer Commonist loving RINO Governor!!!
And you FReepers that keep thrusting your undying support of this on the rest of us are no better than they are!!!
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.