LETTERS From CAMP Rehoboth |
Capital Letters |
by Hastings Wyman |
Will Maryland Repeal Its Gay Rights Law?
Take Back Maryland, a coalition of conservative religious and political groups, have submitted petitions calling for repeal of the Free State's Anti-Discrimination Act of 2001, a civil rights law that includes gay people and takes effect this October. The new law's foes say they have submitted nearly 60,000 signatures, probably more than enough to meet the 46,128 valid-signature requirement of state law. Some 86 percent of the signatures on petitions submitted earlier were valid, suggesting state officials will verify enough signatures to put the repeal initiative on the ballot in November 2002. The petition drive sets the stage for a particularly bruising battle between supporters and opponents of laws that establish civil rights protections for gay people. Opponents of the new law argue that it "would give special government protection to homosexual behavior." Take Back Maryland includes fundamentalist Protestants as well as the Maryland Catholic Conference. Maryland, which was founded as a haven for Roman Catholics fleeing Protestant persecution, is more than 20 percent Catholic. Moreover, although the state is strongly Democratic, many rural voters in this border state are essentially more conservative Southern Democrats. Supporters of the civil rights law include Gov. Parris Glendening (D), who provided major backing over several legislative sessions to get the new law passed. When the proposal came before the legislature, it passed the House of Delegates easily, having a difficult time mainly in the State Senate, where it faced a filibuster. This suggests widespread political support for keeping the new law. How much muscle the state's moderate and liberal political establishments provide to help defeat the initiative remains to be seen. In addition, Free State Justice, a statewide gay rights lobby, is organizing a coalition of gay and gay-friendly groups to run a campaign against the repeal initiative. These include the Baltimore Activists Coalition and local affiliates of P-FLAG, People for the American Way, and the National Organization for Women. Representatives of Free State Justice have already begun speaking in churches in support of Maryland's gay-inclusive civil rights law. As the campaign takes shape, the emphasis will be on turning out voters who oppose the repeal initiative. David Baker of the Baltimore Activists Coalition says the successful petition drive was not anticipated, but that supporters of civil rights protections for gay people should be able to defeat it. Recent polls have shown 60 percent of Maryland voters support the Anti-Discrimination Act, but Baker says, "The problem is that people lie." He notes that during a similar battle in Maine last year, the pro-gay side led by 15 points in the polls just before the election, but when the ballots were counted, they had narrowly lost. Maryland's Morella Faces a Battle Congresswoman Connie Morella (R-Md.), a strong ally of Log Cabin Republicans and a long-time supporter of gay causes, faces a tough re-election battle next year. Not only is she likely to get a more difficult district when the Maryland legislature finishes its congressional reapportionment, but she is already drawing strong Democratic opposition, a sure sign that she may be vulnerable. Her opponents so far include: State Delegate (Representative) Mark Shriver, a Kennedy cousin; State Sen. Christopher Van Hollen Jr.; ex-trade official Ira Shapiro; and attorney Deborah Vollmer. Despite the rough congressional road ahead of her, Morella, 70, decided against running for governor and will seek re-election. Look for sharp divisions in this race among gay voters in Morella's district in the Washington, D.C., suburbs. While her record on gay issues is excellenther Human Rights Campaign rating is 100 percentas a Republican, she's one of only a handful of U.S. Representatives who stand in the way of a Democraticand more gay-friendlyCongress. Stay tuned. Gay Politicos in 2001 Governor's Races New Jersey and Virginia elect governors this November in an off-year test of Democratic and Republican strength. Gay issues are not on the front burner in either state. Stonewall Democrats are already taking an active part in boosting their party's nominees, but the role of Log Cabin Republicans in their party's campaigns is less clear. New Jersey. Two mayors face off in the Garden StateDemocrat Jim McGreevey of Woodbridge and Republican Bret Schundler of Jersey City. Democrat McGreevey is generally more liberal on a range of issues and his campaign is expected to paint this as a contest between a moderate liberal and a right-winger. While New Jersey's Stonewall Democratic club has not yet endorsed McGreevey, pending receipt of McGreevey's answers to a club questionnaire, he has addressed the group. He also appeared at a recent Pride celebration in Asbury Park. He "got a good response from the community," says Chapter President LaQuetta Nelson. Although McGreevey's Web site lists 22 positions he favors, none refer specifically to gay issues. Nevertheless, says Nelson, "Things are looking pretty good for him right now." Republican Schundler, like McGreevey, makes no mention of explicitly gay concerns on his Web site. In the primary, Schundler defeated a more moderate GOPer, former Congressman Bob Franks, who had the support of most gay GOPers. During the primary campaign, Schundler took conservative stands on abortion and guns, but not on gays. Since the primary, Log Cabin and the Schundler folks have been in contact. "We're hoping we'll sit down with them in the very near future," says New Jerseyan Bob Stears, national chairman of Log Cabin Republicans. As the first Republican mayor of Jersey City in 75 years, Schundler has received significant support from African-American and Hispanic voters. Whether he can extend that to New Jersey gay voters remains to be seen. A recent poll showed McGreevey with a substantial but not insurmountable lead48 percent to 35 percent. Virginia. For the Democrats, it's telecommunications mogul Mark Warner; for the GOP, state Attorney General Mark Earley. Virginia Partisans, the Stonewall Democrats' affiliate in the Old Dominion, is actively involved in the campaign of Warner, who is the featured speaker this year at the group's summer barbecue. The group will be especially active in Northern Virginia, where it is raising funds for the Democratic effort and will be working on voter turnout. On the GOP side, Log Cabin Republicans have so far played no significant role in their party's campaign for governor. Most Log Cabiners favored the less socially conservative John Hager for the gubernatorial nomination. Since the state GOP convention nominated the more conservative Earley, there has been little or no contact between the Earley camp and gay GOPers. Log Cabiners resent Earley's role as attorney general in trying to prevent the group from entering a friend-of-the-court brief in a case involving the state's anti-sodomy law. Gay Republicans also note that Earley made note of his opposition to same-sex marriage during his campaign, though this was not an issue. "It was a gratuitous slap," says one gay GOPer. Moreover, Earley campaign operatives accepted several invitations to speak to Northern Virginia's Log Cabin Club, but were no-shows each time. Scott Huch, a member of the club's board, says Earley "definitely needs to reach out to gay and lesbian voters in Northern Virginia. George W. Bush and (U.S. Rep.) Tom Davis have shown him the way." If Earley doesn't figure out a way to appeal to the region's moderate voters, says Huch, "he loses the election." Two Gay Candidates on Virginia's Ballot Danny Smith, a mortgage banker at Fannie Mae, is running for a seat in Virginia's House of Delegates. Smith, who is openly gay, is a Republican and has the full backing of the Log Cabin Republicans of Northern Virginia. Smith has a long history of involvement in politics, including experience as a congressional staffer, stints in the administrations of Ronald Reagan and George Bush the first, and at the Republican National Committee. Smith is running in the 38th District in Washington, D.C.'s Virginia suburbs. While the district leans Democratic, nine of its 20 precincts are new due to redistricting. These precincts offer "a lot of fertile ground," says Smith, for his challenge to incumbent Del. Robert Hull (D). Smith adds that "a moderate Republican can win in this districtmoderate to liberal on social issues, conservative on fiscal issues." Though his first fundraiser is scheduled for later this summer, Smith has already raised $13,000 from supportersnot as much as he'll need, but significant seed money. While his is an uphill battle, Smith has already made history. Since he has no opposition for the GOP nomination, he is the first openly gay major party candidate for a state office in the Old Dominion. On the Democratic side, Virginia's gay Democrats are working on the re-election campaign of Jay Fisette, chairman of the Arlington County Board. Fisette is currently the only openly gay officeholder in the state. Virginia Partisans has held a fundraiser for Fisette, a reception featuring former U.S. Sen. Chuck Robb (D) and his wife, former first daughter Lynda Johnson Robb. 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. |
LETTERS From CAMP Rehoboth, Vol. 11, No. 10, July 27, 2001. |