Another senate candidate

Senate candidate's remark criticized
Tom Musbach, Gay.com / PlanetOut.com Network

TODO More by Tom Musbach
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published Thursday, October 31, 2002
A Democratic candidate for the U.S. Senate made a disparaging reference to gay men during a televised debate last Friday that drew criticism this week from otherwise supportive gay Democrats.
The comment came during a discussion of which South Carolina candidate -- Republican U.S. Rep. Lindsey Graham or Democrat Alex Sanders -- had more liberal friends and associates. Sanders noted that one of Graham's endorsements came from former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani, who is "ultra-liberal."
"His wife kicked him out and he moved in with two gay men and a Shih Tzu," Sanders continued. "Is that South Carolina values? I don't think so." (Guiliani did live with a gay couple for a while after separating from his wife.)
After hearing about the debate, Chad Johnson, the executive director of the National Stonewall Democrats, contacted Sanders' campaign manager and called the comment "unacceptable." He also asked for an apology and an affirmative letter from Sanders detailing his support of GLBT issues.
Johnson said he's received a promise that such a letter is forthcoming.
U.S. Rep. Barney Frank, an openly gay Democrat from Massachusetts, criticized Sanders in a statement on Thursday.
"Mr. Sanders' pronouncement that it violates South Carolina values to accept an offer of hospitality from a gay couple is a bigoted comment that reflects poorly on Mr. Sanders, not Rudy Giuliani," Frank said.
"I understand Barney Frank's position and respect it," Johnson said, adding that Sanders is still the better candidate to replace outgoing conservative Sen. Strom Thurmond.
"We got a variety of assurances that if elected to the Senate, Sanders will be a strong advocate of gay and lesbian civil rights issues," Johnson told the Gay.com / PlanetOut.com Network.
Sanders' opponent, Rep. Graham, recently received a 0 out of a possible 100 rating in a Human Rights Campaign evaluation of congressional support for GLBT civil rights.
"Graham is never with us on our issues," Johnson said. "We certainly do not want him to be elected to higher office."
This is the second time in recent weeks where a Democratic Senate candidate's campaign ran afoul of GLBT political supporters. In Montana, GOP candidate Mike Taylor resigned because he said a Democratic Party ad for incumbent Sen. Max Baucus suggested he was gay. The ad, which played on a male hairdresser stereotype, was denounced by most major gay (and non-gay) political organizations. Taylor re-entered the race nearly two weeks later.