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Polis becomes 3rd openly gay member of Congress


Musgrave falls to challenger; Dole also ousted


by Amy Cavanaugh
Thursday, November 5, 2008

Despite a strong showing from Democrats in races across the country, Election Day results for gay and gay-friendly candidates were mixed.

The Gay & Lesbian Victory Fund, which endorsed 111 openly lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender candidates, reported that 70 percent of its candidates had won their races.

Among the victors was Jared Polis, whose win gives the U.S. House of Representatives another openly gay member. Polis, a Democrat and businessman who earned his fortune from greeting card company Blue Mountain Arts, won the open seat for Colorado's 2nd District.

"Jared Polis is the first openly gay man to be elected to Congress as a non-incumbent, and he joins Tammy Baldwin and Barney Frank as the three out members," said Denis Dison, a Gay & Lesbian Victory Fund spokesperson.

"We increased our representation in Congress by 33 percent, and that is a tremendous achievement for the community. And for Jared to have another voice, along with Tammy's and Barney's, to speak authentically as they do about our lives, is so incredibly important."

Frank (D-Mass.) easily retained his seat against challengers Earl Sholley, a Republican, and Susan Allen, an independent. Baldwin (D-Wis.) won re-election in a landslide against Republican challenger Peter Theron.

But not all openly gay candidates for the U.S. House were victorious.

In South Carolina, Linda Ketner, a Democrat and lesbian, lost to incumbent Rep. Henry Brown, a Republican, for the U.S. House seat from the state's 1st congressional district. Ketner's victory, combined with Polis' win, would have doubled out gay representation in the House.

Brown voted against last year's Employment Non-Discrimination Act as well as hate crimes legislation. He also backed the Federal Marriage Amendment in 2004 and 2006.

Hastings Wyman, editor of the Southern Political Report, said that Ketner's loss was "not terribly surprising," and that he didn't see her sexual orientation as a big issue in the election.

"I thought she was pretty open about her sexuality, but that she wanted it less known than it became," he said. "I think it's impressive that a Democratic lesbian can do that well in a congressional district in South Carolina."

Another anti-gay House member who kept her seat was Michele Bachmann (R-Minn.), who won despite suggesting last month that Barack Obama "may have anti-American views." She defeated Elwyn Tinklenberg and now returns for a second term in the House.

Marty Rouse, national field director for the Human Rights Campaign, called Bachmann's re-election "quite sad."

"It's not just sad for the GLBT community," he said, "but for all Americans who appreciate and respect the diversity of our country."

Anti-gay tactics hurt two candidates

Sexual orientation was a significant issue in two races where anti-gay tactics were used against two candidates who lost their races.

In Oklahoma, incumbent Corporation Commissioner Jim Roth, a Democrat, lost to Dana Murphy, a Republican. Roth, who was previously appointed to his commissioner seat, would have been the first openly gay elected official in Oklahoma. But last-minute attack ads and mailers suggested he would advocate a "homosexual agenda" if he continued serving as a regulator of the state's energy industry.

And in Michigan, Garnet Lewis lost her bid for state representative. In the last week of her campaign, print and radio media outlets ran anti-gay attacks against the candidate.

Musgrave defeated

In Colorado, anti-gay U.S. Rep. Marilyn Musgrave lost her seat to Democratic challenger Betsy Markey. Musgrave, elected to Congress in 2003, introduced the Federal Marriage Amendment in the House during the 108th and 109th Congresses, and voted against ENDA.

New Hampshire's Jeanne Shaheen, a Democrat and former governor, defeated incumbent John Sununu, a Republican, to take a U.S. Senate seat. As governor, Shaheen repealed a gay adoption ban and supported a gay civil rights bill.

In North Carolina, Democratic state Sen. Kay Hagan defeated Republican incumbent U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Dole, who strongly opposed same-sex marriage.

Other races across the country were too close to call at Blade deadline, with one of the closest contests between Minnesota's Republican incumbent U.S. Sen. Norm Coleman and his challenger, comedian-turned-politician Al Franken.

The Associated Press reported that after an unofficial vote tally, Coleman led Franken by 571 votes out of nearly 2.9 million cast. Coleman had 1,210,942 votes, or 42.03 percent, to Franken's 1,210,371 votes, or 42.01 percent. A full recount was expected to take several weeks.

As mayor of St. Paul, Coleman voted against a law that would have barred discrimination based on sexual orientation. He also did not sign a city proclamation for Pride in St. Paul. Franken supports marriage for gay couples.

'It's a new day'

Even without the Minnesota race results, Democrats picked up five U.S. Senate seats, giving them a 54-40 majority, with two seats going to independents. Four seats were not decided at deadline.

The Washington Post reported that Democrats had picked up 20 seats in the U.S. House, giving them a 253-172 majority with 10 seats not yet called. Wyman said the results of the congressional elections would benefit gay Americans.

"It's a new day for the country," he said. "In terms of gay issues, I suspect that Congress and the administration will move a couple of issues. My guess is that it will be basic job protections and basic civil rights. There's a possible change on gays in the military. However, I don't think we'll see any more action in Washington on same-sex marriage."

Dison said he had mixed views of the election results, including the news that Barack Obama would succeed President Bush.

"Obama was elected as probably the most pro-gay presidential candidate in history, though there were some pretty stinging defeats in marriage ballot initiatives," he said.

Dison said the returns, including the likely loss of same-sex marriage rights in California, comprised "a bittersweet election for gay people."

"To have enjoyed marriage rights in California for as long as we have - and to have the citizenry snatch that away - is depressing," he said. "It means we have a lot of work to do still."

Results from other races of note across the country were still being reported at Blade deadline:

  • In Texas, Dallas County Sheriff Lupe Valdez won her bid for reelection to a second term against opponent Lowell Cannaday, a former chief of police for Irving, Texas. Valdez, elected in 2004, is the first Latina and first out lesbian to be elected to her post.
  • Oregon state Sen. Kate Brown became the first openly bisexual secretary of state in the nation, with her defeat of political newcomer Rick Dancer.
  • John Perez won his race to become the first openly gay person of color in California's state legislature.
  • Jason Bartlett won a second term as a Connecticut state House member. Bartlett, who came out in February, is one of two openly gay black legislators in the country.
  • Christopher Renner, a gay candidate for the State Board of Education in Kansas, lost his race against Republican Kathy Martin.
  • In Florida, Kevin Beckner won a seat on the Hillsborough County Commission, defeating an anti-gay incumbent and becoming the first openly gay candidate elected in the county.
  • U.S. Rep. Chris Shays (R-Conn.) was defeated by Jim Himes, his Democratic challenger. Shays is a pro-gay Republican, and last year voted in favor of ENDA and was a lead sponsor of hate crimes legislation. Himes favors hate crimes legislation, ENDA, and repeals of "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" and the Defense of Marriage Act.
  • And in Ohio's 1st District, Democratic state Rep. Steve Driehaus defeated incumbent U.S. Rep. Steve Chabot, a Republican. Rouse noted that Driehaus "is a strong supporter of the GLBT community," opposing a federal constitutional amendment to ban gay marriage, though he supported Ohio's Defense of Marriage Act.