Posted on 09/08/2011 10:45:18 AM PDT by Diana in Wisconsin
Openly gay Wisconsin Rep. Tammy Baldwin says her bid for a Senate seat won't be about her sexual orientation, gay weekly the Washington Blade reported.
Baldwin on Tuesday became the first Democrat to formally declare her candidacy for the U.S. Senate seat being vacated by retiring Senator Herb Kohl. She is the first openly gay Senate candidate with a viable shot at winning.
During a conference call on Wednesday, Baldwin insisted she's always been open about her sexual orientation, but added that the race will focus on other issues.
“I have always since the beginning of all my adult life been out and honest about my sexual orientation, and I think that voters appreciate the values of honesty and expect integrity in their elected officials.”
The race, Baldwin added, “won't be about me.”
“It will be about the middle-class, the threats that they're facing right now, the struggles that families are experiencing and which candidate for U.S. Senate is going to be the best fighter for them.”
Baldwin, who has never lost a race but remains untested in a statewide election, faces stiff competition from her GOP rivals, former Wisconsin Governor Tommy Thompson and former Wisconsin Rep. Mark Neumann. Neumann officially entered the race last week, while Thompson has signaled he will follow. Early polls show that in a contest with either candidate, Baldwin would lose.
But whether Baldwin's sexual orientation becomes an issue in the race is more up to her GOP rival. Neumann, a two-term congressman, is not a supporter of gay rights. In 1996, he said: “If I were elected God for a day, homosexuality wouldn't be permitted.” Four years later, he walked back the remark a bit, saying he wouldn't want to be God.
She is using this to set up the opposition so they don’t dare to bring up she is a lesbian
I’d rather have Ron Johnson II. Does Don Johnson live in Wisconsin...?
“won’t be about...” she says, reminding everybody about it.
I doubt it. Besides, I was kinda partial to Rico Tubbs.
I see a good outcome- either Thompson or Neuman...
There are still lots of people in Wisconsin who WILL make it about her choice of partners.
You’re stealing my joke: my preferred candidate is John Ronson. : )
Bingo! That once again proves my take on it's all mainly an attention getter. They always have to flaunt it and it's all about MEEEEE!
Ah heck, She flashed the lesbo card already by making that statement.
Any other democrats going to run against her in the primary? If there were any, they would probably stand a good chance of beating her but they also would be called anti-gay bigots and they don’t want to risk that. I guess she becomes the democratic candidate by default and that’s a good thing because statewide you would hope there are enough normal Wisconsins who will vote against this perverse sodomite. Hopefully an unexpected pickup for Republicans.
Wrong, Bob Kasten, A Republican held a US Senate seat prior to Russ Feingold.
Speaking of hideous creatures, “poof” a Tammy “Tommy” Baldwin story!
That’s the other seat occupied by Ron Johnson, which elected Republican Bob Kasten from 1981-93. We’re talking about the one occupied by Herb Kohl (whose predecessor was Democrat William Proxmire). It last elected a Republican (McCarthy) in 1952 (Proxmire won the special election for McCarthy’s seat after his death in 1957 and he occupied it until his retirement in 1989).
If she loses, it will be because of bigotry.
Well, you see, I hold plenty of prejudice against voting for politicians who don’t show much competence, and have to play identity cards, because frankly, it doesn’t do much good to lead a nation.
so now since she said this if you don’t vote for her it is “homophobia”.
if you SPEAK against her it is a hate crime.
I hope she loses by so much that it straightens her out.
BINGO we have a winner.
First politician to call her out on this pathetic tactic wins.
Jeff Fitzgerald is the most closely linked to Governor Scott Walker and his controversial agenda. Walker has won great legislative victories, but at major political cost to himself. IMHO, by the time 2014 comes around, Walker’s popularity will be up once people see the success of his policies. I see the same dynamic for John Kasich in Ohio, Rick Snyder of Michigan, and Rick Scott of FLorida. The downside of this is that none of this will help Fitzgerald in 2012. Maybe we should play it safe in Wisconsin, even if the candidate I refer to is not the ideal conservative.
I tend to agree. While the RATs running Baldwin gives us some more leeway, we can’t afford to nominate who is 5% more conservative than Thompson or Neumann but might get 5% less of the vote due to the state legislature’s baggage.
I believe in rewarding success and Fitzgerald accomplished much. As for the other two, Thompson refused to step up when he was needed to take out Feingold or Kohl (plus he’s too old to begin a Senate career now) and Neumann seems to run for anything and hasn’t won office in what will be 16 years. It’s a no-brainer for me who is the most worthy of the bunch, and I believe that Tammy Baldwin will be a far more polarizing figure than any Republican put up, so I’d rather go with the best.
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