Houston: Sexual Preference Center Stage In Mayoral Race

Both Parker and Locke are Democrats. Locke is black fwiw.

HOUSTON (AP) -- Annise Parker's mayoral campaign Web site bio reads like a catalog of campaign catchphrases: She has been Houston's city controller and a member of City Council. She's for job creation, against irresponsible spending and tough on crime.

Until the last line: "Annise Parker and her life partner, Kathy Hubbard, have been together since 1990. They have two children."

Parker, 53, has never made a secret or an issue of being a lesbian. Not during her bid to be Houston's next mayor nor in previous campaigns.

But others have. If Parker wins the Dec. 12 runoff election, Houston would become what's believed to be the largest U.S. city ever to have an openly gay mayor - and that has catapulted Parker's sexual orientation into the center of the race.

Anti-gay activists and conservative religious groups have endorsed her opponent, former city attorney Gene Locke, and sent out mailers condemning Parker's "homosexual behavior."

Meanwhile, gay and lesbian political organizations nationwide have endorsed Parker, raised money for her and plan to run phone banks rallying her supporters.

Comments

[IslamoLlama]

Thank god Dan isn't actually interested in job creation, tax rates, traffic, or local policing.

One dude's black. The other lady's gay. Dan has nothing else to say on the matter.

This sort of blind idiocy is what helped Hoffman cruise to an easy victory in NY-23.

[Elmo]

Who gives a f*ck. May the best person win. Who ever that may be/is?

"If Parker wins the Dec. 12 runoff election"

Hmmm ... my lil desk calendar shows the twelfth as ... Saturday. Curious that.

[joyMc]

This is so totally wierd. I live in the county to the north of Houston now but lived in Houston for many years. I visit the black neighborhoods of houston as a home health nurse and you see Gene Locke signs all over everybody's lawns all over those neighborhoods. I have not been to Montrose, lower Kirby or the Heights lately but I would bet dollars to donuts that there are Annise Parker signs all over those lawns. I still recall when Mayor Welch's political carreer was ended. Someone asked him back in the early 80s (I think); what to do about AIDS. He replied, and I quote "Shoot all the queers." The next thing you knew, there were throngs of queens running around town in "Louie, DON'T SHOOT !"
T-shirts. That was the year Ms Whitmyer won. She was pretty gay friendly.

[vitamin e]

Who cares? This one is just another clown like all the other politicians. Idaho might just elect her if she wises up and throws her politics to the non -progressive party. Idaho put up with snickering behind Larry Craig’s back for years. She should run on a “Make FREEDOM legal” ticket. 2C will love it. Too bad she’s as dumb as the incumbents.