Pro-Gay Challengers in Tight Races for Congress

by Chris Johnson 

Gay rights advocates are keeping close watch on a series of tight races for U.S. House and Senate seats as the election nears.

Foremost among the competitive House races is the battle in Colorado’s 4th District between Republican incumbent Rep. Marilyn Musgrave and Democratic challenger Betsy Markey.

A poll published Aug. 28 by SurveyUSA found that 50 percent of respondents favored Markey while 43 percent favored Musgrave.

Musgrave, who introduced the Federal Marriage Amendment in the House during the 108th and 109th Congresses, is recognized as one of the leading anti-gay voices in Congress.

By comparison, Markey, a businesswoman and former State Department employee, has won the support of National Stonewall Democrats.

Musgrave, during a Family Research Council summit in September 2006, said she didn’t think “there’s anything more important out there than the marriage issue.”

“I believe that when you’re in a cultural war like this you have to respond with equal and hopefully greater force if you want to win this,” she said.

Musgrave voted last year against the Employment Non-Discrimination Act, which would bar discrimination based on sexual orientation, and hate crimes legislation.

She was heavily targeted by gay activists in the 2006 campaign and narrowly won re-election. She took 46 percent of the vote while her Democratic opponent, Angie Paccione, took 43 percent. Much of that election’s remaining vote went to Eric Eidsness, a Reform Party candidate.

Neither Markey’s nor Musgrave’s campaign responded to a request for comment.

Dems see opportunities in scandal-plagued Alaska

Races for the House and Senate seats in Alaska are attracting attention due to the legal troubles facing anti-gay incumbents.

Sen. Ted Stevens, the longest serving Republican senator, was indicted in July on seven counts of failing to report more than $250,000 in gifts he received from an oil company.

Rep. Don Young, the Republican incumbent in the state’s at-large House district, is under criminal investigation for dealings with the same company.

Mark Begich, the Democratic mayor of Anchorage, is challenging Stevens for his Senate seat, while Ethan Berkowitz, the Democratic minority leader in Alaska’s state House, is challenging Young.

A poll published Sept. 19 by Research 2000 found that 50 percent of voters favor Begich while 44 percent favor Stevens. Another poll published Sunday by Ivan Moore Research found that 49 percent of voters favor Berkowitz while 44 percent support Young.

Stevens and Young have anti-gay voting records. Stevens voted in favor of the FMA in 2006. And in 1996, he voted in favor of the Defense of Marriage Act and against an employment non-discrimination bill.

Stevens’ campaign did not respond to the Blade’s request for comment.

Young, an 18-term congressman, last year voted against the Employment Non-Discrimination Act and hate crimes legislation. He voted in favor of the FMA in 2004 and 2006.

Meredith Kenny, spokesperson for Young’s campaign, said gay Alaska residents would be interested in supporting Young because they face issues that “are of importance to Alaska across the board,” such as affordable energy, access to better health care and quality education.

“Rep. Young has a proven record of fighting hard for all of these things and of fighting for the good of all Alaskans,” she said.

But David Shurtleff, a spokesperson for Berkowitz’s campaign, said gay voters in Alaska would do better to support Berkowitz because he “has been politically tested under fire for his support of gay issues, and has a track record of fighting for equal rights.”

As a lawmaker in the Alaska state House, Berkowitz voted against a state constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriage and voted in favor of benefits for the partners of gay employees who work in the state government.

Shurtleff said Berkowitz would vote in favor hate crimes legislation, the Employment Non-Discrimination Act and a repeal of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell,” which bars gays from serving openly in the military.

When asked about Berkowitz’s stance on marriage and the Defense of Marriage Act, Shurtleff responded that Berkowitz “opposed the state of Alaska’s constitutional ban on same-sex marriage, and always fought to secure equal benefits for same-sex partners.”

Begich’s campaign did not respond to a request for comment.

Sen. Dole vulnerable in North Carolina race

Another Senate race capturing attention is the North Carolina face-off between Republican incumbent Sen. Elizabeth Dole and Democratic challenger Kay Hagan, a North Carolina state senator.

A poll published Sept. 25 by Rasmussen found that 48 percent of respondents support Hagan while 45 percent of voters support Dole.

Hagan noted her support for hate crimes legislation and eliminating “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” during an April primary debate. She said that the United States has “an all-volunteer military” that “ought to be open to all volunteers.”

“Over the course of this past war … I’ve been seeing people who do speak Farsi, who do speak Arabic, who do speak Erdu being taken away from the military,” she said. “I think that we’ve lost a lot of good people that have been doing good service to our country.”

In an April 1 “live-blogging session” with BlueNC, Hagan said she is “close to” former Sen. John Edwards on same-sex marriage.

“I believe marriage is between a man and a woman and that it’s fundamentally a state issue the federal government has no business getting involved in,” she said.

But Hagan, whose campaign did not respond to a request for comment, noted that she takes “a backseat to no one when it comes to equal opportunity and fairness.”

“I oppose any form of discrimination and I believe that partnerships should be protected when it comes to financial issues, hospital visits, employment and housing issues,” she said.

By comparison, Dole has been a strong opponent of same-sex marriage and voted for the FMA in 2006. Dole also articulated her opposition to marriage rights for gay couples in a floor speech at the 2004 Republican National Convention.

“Marriage is important not because it is a convenient invention or the latest reality show — marriage is important because it is the cornerstone of civilization, and the foundation of the family,” she said.
“Marriage between a man and a woman isn’t something Republicans invented, but it is something Republicans will defend.”

Hogan Gidley, a spokesperson for Dole’s campaign, said gay voters should back Dole’s re-election because they have “concerns just like everyone else,” such as lower taxes and lower gas prices.

Gidley also said gay voters would appreciate that Dole secured a tobacco buyout that infused $4 billion in the North Carolina economy and worked to keep state military bases open during the 2005 round of base closures and realignment.

“Those are things that everybody cares about, regardless of sexual orientation,” he said.

Gidley said Dole is “100 percent opposed to people who commit violent crimes” but would not support hate crimes legislation because there is no evidence such a law would work as deterrent.
Dole also believes the legislation could be used to prosecute someone for hate speech, which has “grave consequences for the right to free speech,” Gidley said.

The spokesperson said Dole “has some serious concerns” with ENDA because “the definitions in that bill are suspect.”

“Anything with such a vague definition would actually weaken the existing discrimination laws that are extremely important,” he said.

Gidley did not respond to a question about how Dole would vote on a bill repealing “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.”

Ian Palmquist, executive director for Equality North Carolina, said his organization does not endorse federal candidates, but noted that Hagan “has been a strong ally in the state Senate” and sponsored numerous gay-friendly bills in the North Carolina General Assembly.

“The LGBT community is really … excited about this race,” he said. “Sen. Dole has not been an ally in Congress and I think they’re excited to have another option.”

Franken, Coleman in tight Minn. contest

In Minnesota, comedian-turned-politician Al Franken is facing off against Republican incumbent Sen. Norm Coleman.

A poll published Sept. 22 by Rasmussen found that 48 percent of respondents are supporting Coleman while 47 percent are supporting Franken, the Democratic nominee.

Coleman has a history of actions that are seen as anti-gay — both as senator and with earlier work as a public official. In 2006, he voted for the FMA after saying he preferred a more narrowly defined amendment.

Earlier in his career, as mayor of St. Paul, Coleman voted against a local initiative to prohibit discrimination based on sexual orientation. He also refused to sign a city proclamation for Pride in St. Paul, even though his predecessors and successors have signed the proclamation.

Franken, however, supports marriage rights for gay couples. Andy Barr, a Franken campaign spokesperson, also told the Blade last year that Franken would support ENDA, hate crimes legislation and a bill allowing gays to serve openly in the armed forces.

But in the course of his career as a comedian, Franken has made jokes that could be interpreted as anti-gay.

In 1976, he reportedly joked that a campus club at Harvard had been dominated by gays and said he was glad a gay member had been murdered. He then told a Harvard Crimson reporter to put the comment in the newspaper.

In 1993, Franken responded with sarcasm to an anti-gay tirade from Republican presidential candidate Pat Buchanan, saying, “No one likes a gay bashing joke better than me, but this was serious.”

Franken also has made jokes that are seen as favorable to gays, such as a radio comment he made in 2005 on the Al Franken Show.

“Here’s my stance on gay marriage: I never figured out how gay marriage is a threat to heterosexual marriage,” he said. “I look at a gay male couple, for example, and I don’t go, ‘Boy that looks good.’”
Neither the Franken campaign nor the Coleman campaign responded to requests to comment.

Mixed track record for Oregon incumbent

Another Senate race of interest is taking place in Oregon, where Democrat Jeff Merkley, the speaker of the Oregon state House, is challenging Republican incumbent Sen. Gordon Smith.

A poll published Sept. 26 by Research 2000 found that 45 percent of respondents favor Merkley while 40 percent support Smith.

Smith has taken a dichotomous approach to gay issues. He is a chief sponsor for hate crimes legislation and ENDA in the Senate, but voted in favor of the FMA in 2006.

The senator attempted to explain his position on the FMA during an appearance at a Center for American Progress forum on June 11. Smith said he voted for the FMA because he didn’t want “federal judges to impose it on other states that were voting differently.”

“If states want to democratically go about it, then that’s what they should do, but I do not want a federal judge imposing it on other parts of the jurisdiction,” he said.

Smith noted he has been a “devout Mormon” and said if the government starts redefining marriage, 
there could be detrimental consequences for some groups.

“My campaign people are going to kill me for saying this … part of what I fear is you start defining marriage — we have a long history of doing that in this country, and my Mormon pioneer ancestors were the victims of that,” he said. “I don’t want that coming back.”

The Associated Press reported Smith apologized June 17 for the comments. He told the news service that polygamy and same-sex marriage are unrelated.

Smith’s campaign did not respond this week to the Blade’s request for comment.

As Oregon’s House speaker, Merkley helped to move through Oregon’s domestic partnership law and led the fight on a statewide non-discrimination bill.

In a Sept. 29 e-mail, Merkley told the Blade he would support ENDA, hate crimes legislation and a repeal of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.” He also said he supports marriage equality and would favor a repeal of DOMA.

Merkley’s position on marriage was challenged during a panel discussion with the Willamette Week. A video of the panel discussion was posted April 9.

The panel moderator asked Merkley about his position on marriage rights and noted a comment he made in 2004 to the Oregonian, when he called marriage “a sacred covenant between a couple and God is best addressed through one’s church or other religious home.”

Merkley said his earlier comments were “completely consistent” with his views on marriage rights because when people are married they have a covenant with their partner and a covenant with God.

“If you cross state lines, you’re still married even if that state doesn’t recognize you,” he said. “This is true for our gay and lesbian partnerships as well as for our heterosexual partnerships.”

Other House races competitive

Several other congressional races of interest to gay voters are polling competitively.

In Michigan’s 7th District, Republican incumbent Rep. Tim Walberg, a freshman House member, is facing a challenge from Mark Schauer, a Democratic state Senator. A poll published Sept. 25 by Myers Research & Strategic Services found that 36 percent of responding district voters favor Walberg while 43 percent support Schauer.

Walberg, a minister, last year voted against ENDA and hate crimes legislation. His campaign web site in 2006 stated that he supports the FMA.

According to the Adrian Daily Telegram, Walberg discussed homosexuality in a Republican primary debate in July 2004. Although he lost that contest, he won the 2006 primary.

“It’s a sin to be gay,” he said in 2004. “The Bible says it’s a sin. I’m not going to differ with my creator: God.”

Walberg’s campaign could not be reached this week for comment.

Zach Pohl, a spokesperson for Schauer, said gay voters in Michigan should vote for Schauer because he believes “everyone has inherent rights to live their lives the way they choose to.”

Pohl said Walberg, on the other hand, has “a very clear record of opposing rights for gay and lesbian individuals.”

Schauer was co-sponsor of hate crimes and anti-bullying legislation in the Michigan state Senate and would support hate crimes legislation in Congress, Pohl said.

Schauer also would be in favor of a bill that would outlaw workplace discrimination, Pohl said, but it was unclear how Schauer would vote on an effort to overturn “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.”

When asked about Schauer’s position on marriage, Pohl said Schauer opposes a 2004 state constitutional amendment that banned same-sex marriage and civil unions in Michigan. Pohl noted that Schauer supports domestic partnerships.

“He doesn’t think anything should be explicitly banned in the Constitution and he thinks gay and lesbian couples should have essentially the same rights the heterosexual couples have in terms of hospital visits and everything that goes along with domestic partnerships,” Pohl said.

Pohl said Schauer would consider repeal or modification of DOMA “if ultimately the outcome were to be increased rights for gay and lesbian couples.”

Another competitive House race is in Connecticut’s 4th District, where Republican incumbent Rep. Chris Shays is facing a challenge from Jim Himes, a businessman and affordable housing executive.
A poll published Sept. 19 by the Himes campaign found that 45 percent of district voters favor Shays and another 45 percent support Himes.

Both candidates in the race are recognized as having favorable positions on gay issues, and Shays is seen as being one of the strongest Republican voices on gay rights.

Sean Phillips, spokesperson for the Shays campaign, said the lawmaker “is working every day to make sure everyone is treated equally regardless of race, gender or sexual orientation.”

Last year, Shays voted in favor of ENDA and was a lead sponsor for hate crimes legislation. He voted against the FMA in 2004 and 2006. But in 1996, Shays voted in favor of DOMA.

During a July congressional hearing on “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell,” Shays was particularly fervent about his opposition to the ban, saying that he suspects that many American troops who have served in U.S. wars even back to the French and Indian War happened to have been gay.

“I think the ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’ policy is unpatriotic, I think it’s counterproductive, in fact I think it is absolutely cruel,” he said.

Michael Sachese, a spokesperson for the Himes campaign, said Himes would be a strong supporter of the gay community if elected.

Sachese said Himes would vote in favor of hate crimes legislation and ENDA, and would favor repealing “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” and DOMA.

“Jim will be a representative who will look out for the interests of the gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender community by supporting marriage equality, ending workplace discrimination and also supporting economic policies that benefit gay Americans just as they will benefit everyone else,” Sachese said.

In a “live-blogging” event June 30 with Daily Kos, Himes elaborated on his opposition to “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell,” arguing that the ban on open service “is even more ridiculous for the damage it has done to our military’s ability to fight in the Middle East.”

“One of the many honors our military deserves is the role it played in racial integration during World War II,” he said. “What madness prevents it from playing a similar role today?”

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