By Lisa Keen on July 14, 2011
There was a hint of trouble ahead for the nomination of lesbian attorney Alison Nathan to the U.S. District Court for Southern New York.
Posted in Campaigns, Congress, Federal Courts, Issues, Law, News, Nominees, Politics, Senate
By Lisa Keen on July 13, 2011
The campaign of Republican presidential frontrunner Mitt Romney and four other GOP presidential candidates said this week they would not sign the bizarre pledge that at least two other GOP competitors did sign–a pledge that promises the candidate will vigorously oppose even “court-imposed recognition” of same-sex marriage.
Posted in Election 2012, Presidential 2012
By Lisa Keen on June 27, 2011
The news that New York State passed a marriage equality law last Friday night was big news and, not surprisingly, drew comments from various presidential candidates over the weekend.
Posted in Campaigns, Issues, Marriage/Relationships, News, Politics, Presidential 2012
By Lisa Keen on June 9, 2011
Openly gay candidate Fred Karger will not be on the stage next Monday night when CNN broadcasts the first major debate of the 2012 presidential campaign. But enough major candidates will take part in this event to ensure a significant audience.
Posted in Campaigns, Politics, Presidential 2012
By Lisa Keen on May 16, 2011
U.S. Rep. Tammy Baldwin’s office is, thus far, silent on whether the openly gay legislator might make a bid for the U.S. Senate. But buzz about that possibility is hot.
Posted in Campaigns, Politics, Senate
By Lisa Keen on January 28, 2011
U.S. Rep. Mike Pence (R-Ind.) announced January 27 that he will not be a candidate for president in 2012. He came out on top of a straw poll conducted at an ultra-conservative Values Voters Summit last September.
Posted in Campaigns, Politics, Presidential 2012
By Dana Rudolph on November 7, 2010
A number of LGBT allies lost their races in last week’s elections–but one bit of positive news is that sponsoring LGBT-rights legislation did not negatively impact a candidate’s ability to win.
Posted in Campaigns, Election 2010, House, National Politics, News, Politics, Senate
By Lisa Keen on November 3, 2010
Among the more dismal losses in Tuesday’s results was the one in New Hampshire, where Republicans won a veto-proof majority in both the state House and Senate.
It gets worse.
Posted in Campaigns, Election 2010, News, Politics
By Lisa Keen on November 2, 2010
All three Iowa Supreme Court justices up for retention this month have been given the boot. The vote sends a chilling message to other justices who face retention votes and must rule on the constitutionality of laws that adversely affect LGBT people.
Posted in Campaigns, Election 2010, Marriage/Relationships, News, Politics, State Courts, State Politics, State Supreme Courts
By Lisa Keen on November 2, 2010
The results for some high profile openly gay candidates are often mixed, and they were Tuesday night–with nine of eighteen openly LGBT candidates winning. But there was one big surprise Tuesday night and one shining star.
Posted in Campaigns, Election 2010, News, Politics
By Lisa Keen on November 2, 2010
LGBT Election Night Scorecard
Posted in Campaigns, Election 2010, Politics
By Lisa Keen on October 19, 2010
The likelihood of Democrats retaining a majority of the U.S. Senate has diminished dramatically in recent days. But the news is worse than that for the LGBT community, which has had to depend on the Democratic Party to do any of its bidding in Congress.
Posted in Campaigns, Election 2010, News, Politics, Senate
By Lisa Keen on March 9, 2010
Google “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell,” and you’ll get more than 2 million links. Add the word “repeal” to the search, and you’ll get about half a million. Add the words “this year,” and you’re down to 135,000.
That’s probably a good illustration of how the actual repeal process is going these days: Lots of people are talking about it, but the chances for success this year rely on a lot more things converging just so, and not too much.
Posted in A closer look, Campaigns, Don't Ask Don't Tell, House, Issues, News, Politics, Senate
By Chuck Colbert on January 20, 2010
It’s a double victory for Republicans: Republican Scott Brown has won the U.S. Senate seat from Massachusetts and taken away from the Democratic majority in Congress its critical 60th vote in the Senate.
Posted in Campaigns, Politics, Senate
By Chuck Colbert on January 16, 2010
Tuesday’s special election for the U.S. Senate seat from Massachusetts took an ugly turn in the last few days, with a national anti-gay organization now playing the anti-gay marriage card in an apparent move to turn out social conservatives to vote for Republican Scott Brown.
Posted in Campaigns, Issues, Marriage/Relationships, National Politics, News, Politics
By Chuck Colbert on January 14, 2010
It may well be shaping up as nail-bitter. The race to fill the U. S. Senate seat held by the late Senator Edward M. Kennedy has tightened up considerably in the past few days.
Posted in Campaigns, National Politics, News, Politics
By Lisa Keen on December 13, 2009
Annise Parker, an openly gay public official, won the final mayoral election race in Houston Saturday, December 12, becoming the first openly gay person to be elected as mayor of one of the top five most populated cities in the United States.
Posted in Campaigns, News, Politics, State Politics
By Lisa Keen on November 27, 2009
Annise Parker has been an out lesbian public official in Houston for 12 years. Yet this year, as she stands poised to become mayor of the fourth largest city in the country, her sexual orientation is an issue.
Posted in Campaigns, Issues, News, Politics, State Politics
Loud clash over same-sex marriage: Where personal and political meet
White House threatens veto as House omits LGBTs in two bills
House GOP shoot down effort to insert LGBT protections in VAWA
NC approves constitutional ban: 61 to 39
Iowa justices explain why they didn’t campaign to retain seats