New York: Most Gay Leaders for McCall
New York State gay leaders are mostly behind state Comptroller Carl McCall
in the September 10 Democratic primary to choose a challenger to incumbent
Gov. George Pataki (R). McCall, a longtime friend of the gay community who
has a solid record in state government, is locked in a hotly contested
battle with former Secretary of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Andrew
Cuomo.
The two candidates have similar stands on gay issues, with both supporting a Vermont-style civil union law, but neither backing same-sex
marriage. But many gay power brokers like McCall because he’s part of the
state political network in which they operate. Moreover, McCall would be the
first African American nominated for governor on the Democratic ticket, and
there is some gay sentiment for helping a member of another minority group.
But if Cuomo has less high-profile gay support, he gets points with some gay
voters because he’s 43 years old to McCall’s 65, is the son of former
Gov. Mario Cuomo, and is married to Kerry Kennedy, daughter of the late Sen.
Robert Kennedy. Indeed, despite the stronger political muscle behind McCall,
in surveys of Democratic voters—gay and straight—Cuomo is ahead.
In the general election, Pataki is favored and may have significant gay
support. He has the backing of the state’s Log Cabin Republicans, which
may help him with the one-third to one-fourth of the state’s gay voters
who often side with the GOP. But while Pataki has talked the talk on some
issues, his walk has been less steady: the governor was unable to dislodge
the state gay rights bill from the GOP-controlled state senate.
One gay leader who has remained neutral is Matt Foreman, former executive
director of the Empire State Pride Agenda. Foreman says it’s an “open
issue” as to whom gays should support. “Gov. Pataki has done more for
the gay community than any of his predecessors,” says Foreman, “but more
needs to be done.”
Two clouds on the horizon could give Pataki trouble. First, if a sour
economy is the focus of the fall campaign, Democrats should pick up steam.
Second, billionaire businessman Tom Golisano is mounting an independent
campaign for governor and is seeking the nomination of the antigay
Conservative Party. While Golisano is a relative nobody, he’s promised to
spend as much as $75 million on his campaign. That kind of money can make
him a somebody who could draw votes from Republican Pataki. For now,
however, Pataki looks good for a third term.
Gay Addenda
Shift at the DNC. Campbell Spencer, who has headed up the Democratic
National Committee’s (DNC) LGBT efforts, has been promoted to Base Vote
Director. While her old job won’t be filled, the committee is adding five
new field operatives to work on mobilizing the gay vote this fall. In her
new post, Spencer—whose political experience includes stints in the Gore
campaign, at HRC, and with Virginians for Justice—will be responsible for
voter turnout programs among unions, ethnic minorities, and gay voters. Of
interest: Spencer’s predecessor in the Base Vote job was Mark Spengler,
also gay and previously served in the DNC’s gay outreach post. Spengler
has moved to Europe to be with his sweetie, but he’s keeping his hand in
American politics, doing long-distance work—via cyberspace—for the
Vermont Democratic Party.
Ivers Exits LCR. Kevin Ivers, a 10-year operative with the Log Cabin
Republicans (LCR), is stepping down to form his own public relations firm in
Washington, DC. When rumors were rife several years ago that LCR’s Rich
Tafel might retire, Ivers was at the top of the list of potential successors
to the gay GOP group’s top job. However, Tafel has demonstrated staying
power. Moreover, in his new career, Ivers would still be eligible to jump
back into Log Cabin politics if he chooses. LCR’s new Director of Public
Affairs is Mark Mead, a founder of the Georgia Log Cabin Republicans and a
former Republican National Committee staffer.
Multiparty Minnesota Favors Gays—Mostly
Minnesota voters blazed a modern-day trail four years ago when they elected
the Reform Party’s Jesse “The Body” Ventura governor. After one term
Ventura decided he’d had enough, and announced he won’t seek reelection.
But Ventura’s trail is not growing cold. His Independence Party—he quit
the disorganized and discredited Reform Party—nominated former Democratic
Congressman Tim Penny for governor, with strong support from Ventura.
And the Green Party nominated long-time environmental activist Ken Pentel,
who has at least some appeal in this land of lakes.
In addition to Penny and Pentel, the Democratic-Farmer-Labor (DFL)
Party—Minnesota’s Democrats—has nominated state Senate Majority Leader
Roger Moe and the Republicans are running state House Majority Leader Tim
Pawlenty. “We’re getting more like Italy or maybe France” with a
functioning multiparty system, says a gay Minneapolis politico.
Most gay activists in Minnesota are DFLers, but Ventura has enjoyed
substantial gay voter support. In addition to supporting pro-gay policies,
he kept his openly gay chief aide, Steve Bosacker, on staff even after
Bosacker’s arrest by an undercover cop in a locker room shower. Although
Bosacker was also once an aide to Penny, it is not clear that Penny will
inherit Ventura’s gay support. The independent’s slogan, “Keep the
Democrats out of the boardroom and the Republicans out of the bedroom,”
appeals to many gay voters, but Penny has not courted gay people as actively
as the charismatic Ventura. Penny, who is from the conservative southern
part of the state, is “less likely to say the word,” says the gay
politico, who attended the Independence Party’s nominating convention and
observed almost no openly gay presence.
Democrat Moe is good on gay issues and is drawing support from the
well-organized gay Democratic establishment. Republican Pawlenty voted for
the state’s human rights law in 1993, but moved to the right to get the
GOP nomination, citing his opposition to a labor contract for state
employees that included domestic partnership benefits. The Green Party’s
Pentel, like Ralph Nader in 2000, could draw some gay support and be a
factor in a close race.
Simon Reaches Out
Bill Simon, California’s Republican candidate for governor, will headline
a fundraising reception for the Republican Unity Coalition in Los Angeles in
early September. Mary Cheney, daughter of Vice President Dick Cheney, will
also attend. Simon’s appearance with the gay GOP group comes on top of his
meeting last month with a delegation of gay GOPers from across the state.
While details of that meeting have not been released, at least one
participant reports that the July 23 discussion included some
“surprisingly gay-friendly” stances from the candidate. For example,
participants were left with the impression that a Simon administration will
not roll back any current pro-gay state policies put in place by Davis or
other governors, including job protections for gay and lesbian state
employees. Simon indicated he would endorse a broad domestic partnership
policy that includes, but is not limited to, same-sex couples. Simon, his
wife Cindy, top Simon aides for media and for fundraising, and a dozen or so
gay Republicans attended the meeting.
Simon, who comes out of the conservative wing of the Golden State’s GOP,
has a history of antigay stands, including support for an anti-same-sex
marriage initiative. Whether his apparent policy shifts will prove
significant enough to garner support from many gay or socially liberal
straight voters remains to be seen.
Gay Money Flows
As the 2002 campaign gets ready to enter high gear, national gay groups are
contributing large sums of money to political campaigns. According to
Federal Election Commission (FEC) reports, by mid-year, the leading gay
political angel was the Gay and Lesbian Victory Fund Political Action
Committee (PAC), which gave some $386,000 to gay candidates across the
country. Close behind was the Human Rights Campaign PAC, which gave
$383,000, mostly to Democratic candidates. Way down the list, but still in
the race, was the Log Cabin Republican PAC, with $19,600 to moderate GOPers,
followed by the National Stonewall Democrats PAC with $7,850 and the
Republican Unity Coalition (RUC) with $6,000.
These
numbers represent the tip of the iceberg. Some groups host fundraisers at
which guests contribute directly to a candidate’s campaign and others
raise “soft” money that goes into non-candidate political programs. The
Democratic National Committee’s Gay and Lesbian Leadership Council raised
some $1,000,000 for organizational efforts, notes DNC operative Campbell
Spencer. Veteran Democratic fundraisers Claire Lucas and Jeff Trammell are
co-chairing the Gay and Lesbian Majority Council under the auspices of the
Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee; the group is hosting fundraisers
for 12 senatorial candidates, which have netted $500,000 so far. On the GOP
side, the RUC has raised some $100,000 for its educational fund.
Hastings Wyman publishes Southern Political Report, a
nonpartisan biweekly political newsletter. He may be reached in care of
Letters from CAMP Rehoboth or at
HWymanSPR@aol.com.
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