uncstudent88
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The race for District 76 of the State Assembly in California just got really interesting. Both candidates running in November are openly gay. Let me repeat that. When voters go to the election both in November, they will not be able to vote for a straight candidate.
Openly gay candidates and elected officials are still underrepresented, however Republican gay candidates and officials are even more rare. Ralph Denney has been a member of the Log Cabin Republicans of San Diego for over a decade and is running as a “family man” and “moral Republican Christian.” You can find out more information at the Gay and Lesbian Times.
This race is good for progressives who are concerned about LGBTQ equality. The battle for full equality is one that involves changing hearts and minds, and if the only politicians talking about equality are Democrats, we are missing a major audience. Moderate voters in California might not be swayed by Rachel Maddow or Barney Frank, but someone like Ralph Denney may appeal and speak to them. The LGBTQ community cannot afford to continue to perpetrate the stereotype that straight conservatives somehow hold a monopoly on “family values”, and Denney may be an important step in the right direction.
I don't know how much political power and political capital a group like the San Diego Log Cabin Republicans has, but more power to them if they're indeed sincere about challenging bigotry and bad policy within their own party. It's absolutely important that LGBTQ rights advocates work hard to show what "family values" really means.