Five Anti-LGBT Politicians Looking Toward 2010

Published February 02, 2009 @ 09:09PM PT

Vote With the news that Sen. Judd Gregg has been tapped to be the next Commerce Secretary, many are wondering what implications his departure will have on the make-up of the Senate, and the pursuit of a 60-seat majority for Democrats in 2010. With eyes already looking toward the '10 midterm elections, we've noticed several anti-LGBT politicians itching to join Washington's elite club. Here are five to watch out for who are already starting the wheels for a 2010 run.

Roy Blunt: He's currently a U.S. House member from Missouri, and up until last year he was the House Minority Whip. Now he wants to be Missouri's next Senator. What are his thoughts on LGBT issues? Well, if his 0% rating from the Human Rights Campaign gives anything away, it's that Rep. Blunt isn't an ally of the LGBT community. Couple that with his comments this weekend at a conference organized by the Council for Christian Colleges and Universities, where Rep. Blunt went on record saying that President Obama's friendly approach toward LGBT issues was "wrong," and it's pretty clear that Blunt will be one of the more hostile candidates for U.S. Senate in 2010.

Marco Rubio: He's currently the House Speaker in Florida, and in 2008 he endorsed Mike Huckabee for President. Yes, that Mike Huckabee who as recently as this month's issue of Esquire compared homosexuality to alcoholism and bestiality. He wants the Senate seat being vacated by outgoing Sen. Mel Martinez in the Sunshine State. Rubio opposes gay marriage, and he was a close confidant of former Florida Governor Jeb Bush, who championed efforts to write marriage discrimination into Florida's constitution, and supported Florida's ban on gay adoption.

Sarah Palin: She's the....well, we all know who she is. And if the buzz continues, she may just throw her hat into the Republican 2010 Senate primary in Alaska, taking on incumbent Senator Lisa Murkowski for the GOP nomination. Palin's schtick on LGBT rights is well known -- she supports a Constitutional amendment to write marriage discrimination into the U.S. constitution, opposes efforts to expand federal hate crimes legislation, and opposes anything approaching civil unions.

Rob Portman: He's the former U.S. House member from Ohio and the former White House Budget Director in the George W. administration, and he's clearing the GOP field to run for the Senate seat being vacated by Ohio Sen. George Voinovich. While he was in the U.S. House, Portman supported a federal constitutional amendment to ban same-sex marriage, and he voted for the effort to ban same-sex marriage in Ohio during its contentious 2004 ballot run. QueerCincinnati.com has an ever longer rundown of Portman's distinguished career, which include votes to ban gay adoption, and votes for trade agreements like CAFTA that have wrought havoc on Ohio's economy.

Jerry Moran: He's the U.S. House member from Kansas who is planning to run for the Senate seat being vacated by Sen. Sam Brownback. Sam Brownback has a legacy of supporting many anti-LGBT measures, from a ban on same-sex marriage to bans on gay adoption. Rep. Moran comes from the same camp. He's got a 0% rating from the Human Rights Campaign, voted for a constitutional amendment to ban gay marriage, voted against the Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA), and voted to ban gay adoption in the District of Columbia. So in other words, Moran seems to be positioning himself to be "Sam Brownback: The Sequel."

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Comments (7)

HA! I was totally reposting this on my blog without realizing I was being linked.
Trust me, we're keeping an eye here in Ohio, not just on the Senatorial race, but the gubernatorial race as well. We'll also keep you updated on the House races.
Because Jean Schmidt is also bad for Ohio.

Posted by Queer Cincinnati on 02/03/2009 @ 02:43AM PT
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Thanks for this Michael...resent out to many others.

Posted by Lee Dorsey on 02/03/2009 @ 11:09AM PT
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....and on top of that keep watching GILLIBRAND all. She is a little firecracker. If we can keep her on our side with good info/education...Imagine her taking on Palin in the future!

Posted by Lee Dorsey on 02/03/2009 @ 11:11AM PT
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I hate religious zealots! If prop 8 holds, after it's review by the California Supreme Court, I will support an amendment to ban prop8 supporters from marriage in California. Your beliefs are disgusting, and I'd like to treat you to the same poison that you've imposed on me!

Posted by Flex Colby on 02/03/2009 @ 12:50PM PT
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These are intolerant and backward candidates if they were to run for Congress in 2010. There must be tolerance, there must be freedom and justice for gays/lesbians because any less would be wrong. Finally, I also wonder why the Republican party is so intolerant and so anti-progress.

Posted by Edwin Bonilla on 02/03/2009 @ 04:32PM PT
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Edwin, the republican party is not intolerant. The things being expressed by these politicians are what is known as "opinions". In the republican party each member is aloud to have their own "opinion". These "opinions" often are different, and in this party that is actually allowed. The republicam party was the overwhelming force behind the civil rights act, the voter rights act at a time when in every KKK sheet was a democrat, and the GOP party was formed expressly to end slavery. Indivividual members have a way to go, but if you want to see intolerance, try mentioning that You have even the slightest doubt about even a tiny part of global warming to an avid democrat. We conservatives are getting pretty tired of the blanket prejudice of people who condemn us without even asking what it is We stand for.

Posted by Charlie Reed on 02/04/2009 @ 05:21AM PT
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Sorry about the typos, I stammer when I am angry. Honestly though folks, how do you expect to fight intolerance and ignorance with prejudice and stupidity?

Posted by Charlie Reed on 02/04/2009 @ 08:14AM PT
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Michael is the Communications Director for the Human Rights Program at Harvard Law School, and previously was Communications Director for Pax Christi USA, a progressive Catholic human rights organization.