We've seen nations across the world elect new LGBT members into local, state, providence, and federal government positions. We applaud you all for standing up for what you believe in and putting your own personal life on hold to represent us in office.
What about here in the United States? Do you have local LGBTers trying to earn your vote for political office? In one of the Presidential Election battle states, constituents will have the chance to send several LGBT candidates into public office.
Florida has only one openly gay state legislator, but a record eight LGBT candidates are on the ballot trying to change that.
All the candidates are in winnable races. They say the LGBT community needs greater representation because the Legislature's conservative outlook on gay rights has not kept up with the swiftly liberalizing views of Floridians.
Five of the candidates running are from South Florida, including incumbent state Rep. David Richardson, D-Miami Beach. He has a Republican opponent in November, but the district is largely Democratic.
He believes the relatively large group of LGBT candidates is an indication of things to come.
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The other South Floridians are: Paulette Armstead and Ken Keechl, both running in Broward; and Michael Góngora and Kevin Burns, facing each other in a state Senate race in Miami-Dade.
They are joined statewide by Carlos Guillermo Smith and Beth Tuura, both running in the Orlando area, and Jennifer Webb, running in a west coast district that includes parts of St. Petersburg.
While all eight of the candidates are Democrats, and the Democratic Party generally pushes for expansion of gay rights, they say it makes a difference to have members of their community in the Legislature. – sun-sentinel.com
We wish all the candidates the best of luck. But as I've always said, you could be the LGBT candidate, but are you the right candidate? So make sure they are the right candidate all around.
One LGBTer and public official had the support of her fellow citizens during the last election, but will not make it to the race this time.
The first openly gay state representative to vote against marriage equality has lost her bid for reelection.
Hawaii state representative Jo Jordan, a Democrat from Waianae and an out lesbian, voted against a same-sex marriage initiative in 2013.
At the time Jordan claimed she had to vote for what her constituents wanted, not her personal views as a lesbian. (The bill passed anyway, making Hawaii the 16th state to embrace the freedom to marry.)
Cedric Asuega Gates, who ran against Jordan two years, will now face Republican Marc Paaluhui in the November general election. – newnownext.com
There are many reasons why an elected official doesn't keep the vote of the public. Was part of Jordan's demise her "voting the constituent way?" Some times politicians need to use their own judgment and vote what they feel would be best for the public and not what the constituents say they want at the time … and that's why we elect them. We base our vote on the choices candidates have made in the past and the belief they will use that same judgment in the future.
Best of luck to all of the right candidates out there, may they be LGBT or not. Instinct is not throwing its support behind any of the above candidates or their opponents. Get out and find out which one is best for you and your community.
What about in your city, your state, your country? Do you have LGBT candidates we should know about?
h/t: sun-sentinel.com