Friday, October 29, 2010

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Our Picks for the US Senate and House

Published: Friday, October 29, 2010 10:59 AM CDT
 
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In this week’s print edition, Gay City News laid out its endorsements in November 2 races for state offices in New York, some of which remain competitive, especially for the State Senate.

At the federal level, the major risk facing the LGBT community is the potential for Democrats losing control of the House of Representatives. Though Democrats are also expected to see their 59-41 edge in the Senate whittled considerably, the party is widely expected to hold on there.

Loss of the House or of both chambers would deal a devastating blow to efforts to move forward on significant gay political goals — most prominent among them:

repeal of Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell (should the Senate fail to complete action in the lame duck session);

passage of a transgender-inclusive Employment Non-Discrimination Act;

enactment of immigration reform that includes the right of same-sex binational couples to have a foreign spouse establish residency and a path to citizenship in the same manner afforded different-sex couples; and

an end to the Defense of Marriage Act.

Even with the huge Democratic majorities in the first two years of Barack Obama’s presidency, these goals — with the possible exception of Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell repeal —have remained elusive.

Because Hillary Clinton gave up her Senate seat when she became secretary of state, New York has the unique situation of two US Senate races this year. Neither has turned out to be particularly competitive. Still, some observations are in order regarding both Democratic incumbents.

The state’s senior senator, Chuck Schumer, first elected to the Senate in 1998, has evolved into a strong advocate for the full LGBT political agenda. In March of 2009, 13 years after he voted for the Defense of Marriage Act in the House, the Brooklyn Democrat endorsed marriage equality.

This year, he has been supportive of efforts by New Jersey Senator Robert Menendez, who last month introduced a comprehensive immigration reform bill that incorporates the Uniting American Families Act, giving same-sex partners in binational couples the same rights as different-sex foreign spouses to enter the US.

In September, Schumer recommended to the president that he appoint J. Paul Oetken — an out gay attorney who has done work with Lambda Legal and wrote a friend of the court brief supporting the successful 2003 challenge to the Texas sodomy law at the US Supreme Court — to the prestigious Southern District of New York federal bench.

Schumer deserves the community’s support on November 2.

The state’s junior senator, Kirsten Gillibrand, named to fill Clinton’s seat in early 2009, has emerged as one of the Senate’s strongest LGBT allies. At a get-out-the-vote rally at the LGBT Community Center on October 27, out gay Upper West Side Assemblyman Daniel O’Donnell said she “might as well be a member of the community.”

Gillibrand’s Republican opponent has time and again made the charge that she flip-flopped politically on a number of key issues when she stepped into statewide office from a more conservative upstate congressional district. Surely, Gillibrand’s views on gun control, for example, have become more progressive, but the oft-repeated assertion that her support for marriage equality was a Senate-appointment conversion aimed at complying with a requirement from Governor David Paterson is simply not true.

Days before her first reelection contest in November 2008, Gillibrand announced her support for the right of gay and lesbian couples to marry on a radio program hosted by New York Post Albany bureau chief Fred Dicker. Shifting from a pro-civil union posture to endorsement of gay marriage three months earlier than supposed may not seem like a big deal, but it is a crucial distinction.

Gillibrand, who won in an upset in 2006 in a traditionally Republican district, was no sure bet for reelection –– and she had no reason to anticipate that November that a Senate vacancy was about to open up.

And Dicker’s radio show was certainly no friendly venue to announce embrace of full equality.

Since she arrived in the Senate, Gillibrand has distinguished herself particularly on the issue of Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell repeal, playing a pivotal role in pressing for the early 2009 hearing by Armed Services Chair Carl Levin at which Defense Secretary Robert Gates and Joint Chiefs Chair Michael Mullen first stated their support for ending the policy.

With Minnesota’s Al Franken, Gillibrand is also taking the lead on an anti-bullying bill to protect LGBT students and those perceived to be.

In less than two years, Kirsten Gillibrand has more than proven herself on LGBT issues and deserves enthusiastic support on Election Day.

In House races in New York and New Jersey, at least 11 strong allies of the LGBT community face tough reelection races and deserve support between now and election day:

Closest to home:

On Staten Island, first-term Representative Mike McMahon (District 13) is running a good race, but is not yet fully in the clear. More information at: mikemcmahonforcongress.com.

The five toughest races in New York are:

On Long Island, four-term incumbent Tim Bishop (District 1). More information at: bishopforcongress.com

In the Hudson Valley, north of Westchester, two-term incumbent John Hall (District 19). More information at johnhallforcongress.com.

Scott Murphy is battling to keep the Hudson Valley seat (District 20) previously held by Senator Gillibrand. More information at scottmurphyforcongress.com.

In the far upstate seat that was hard-contested in a special election in 2009, first-term Representative Bill Owens (District 23) faces another very competitive race. More information at: billowensforcongress.com.

In a district that includes the Utica and Binghamton areas, two-term incumbent Michael Arcuri (District 24). More information at: arcuriforcongress.com.

In two other races, Democratic incumbents are ahead, but still face tough opposition:

In a Delaware Valley seat northwest of the city, nine-term Congressman Maurice Hinchey (District 22). Hinchey has repeatedly scored a perfect 100 on the Human Rights Campaign congressional scorecard. More information at: hincheyforcongress.org.

In the Lake Ontario District 25 centered on Syracuse, first-term Representative Dan Maffei. More information at: maffeiforcongress.com.

In New Jersey:

First-term Representative John Adler is battling to hold on to his central New Jersey (District 3) seat. More information at: adlerforcongress.com.

Two other incumbents are ahead, but still face tough races:

In northern New Jersey’s Atlantic coastal District 6, 11-term incumbent Frank Pallone, who has consistently had a strong pro-LGBT record. More information at: Pallonefornewjersey.com.

In west-central New Jersey’s District 12, which includes Princeton and Trenton, seven-term incumbent Rush Holt, who was one of only seven House members to vote no on the 2007 Employment Non-Discrimination Act to protest the lack of transgender protections. More information at: rushholt.com.

For a complete record of positions taken by members of Congress on key LGBT political issues, visit the Human Rights Campaign Legislative Action Center at: hrc.org/your_community/elections.asp. For the latest analysis by the Cook Political Report on competitive congressional races, visit cookpolitical.com/races/house/chart.php.

 


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