http://www.gaypolitics.com gay politics & lgbt news source Mon, 15 Mar 2010 19:07:30 +0000 http://backend.userland.com/rss092 en Gainesville, Fla., City Commissioner Craig Lowe could be elected the city's mayor tomorrow, but a shadowy anti-gay group is trying to keep that from happening. They've now distributed anonymous, tongue-in-cheek fliers promoting Lowe's candidacy as a boon for the "gay agenda." According to a report in the Gainesville Sun: The pink ... http://www.gaypolitics.com/2010/03/15/hoax-fliers-mock-gay-mayoral-candidate/ Gov. Bob McDonnell says he's gone as far as he's prepared to go to protect Virginia's LGBT state workers from discrimination, according to a Richmond Times-Dispatch reporter: Rejecting Democratic demands that he seek last-minute legislation to add anti-bias safeguards to state law, McDonnell yesterday said his public pledge to oppose prejudice ... http://www.gaypolitics.com/2010/03/15/virginia-gov-wont-support-lgbt-non-discrimination-law/ A few politics news items you may have missed... San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom looks set to enter the race for Lieutenant Governor of California. (L.A. Times) (Newsom is probably the most LGBT-friendly straight politician in the country. -Ed.) Stonewall Democrats want you to support Rep. Jared Polis' Student Non-Discrimination Act, especially ... http://www.gaypolitics.com/2010/03/12/gay-politics-today-march-12-2010/ One Colorado, a new statewide LGBT non-profit, invited a bi-partisan group of politicos to lunch yesterday, attracting a surprising number of Republicans, according to the Denver Post: Want proof that the times they are a changin’? A lawmaker who once worked for former Congresswoman Marilyn Musgrave attended a gay-rights luncheon today. Rep. ... http://www.gaypolitics.com/2010/03/12/one-colorado-lunch/ Could Floridians find out too late that they voted for a staunchly anti-gay U.S. Senator? Florida's leading GOP candidate for the U.S. Senate, Marco Rubio, doesn't like to talk about social issues now that he's the clear front runner for his party's nomination.  In fact, his campaign Web site is silent on ... http://www.gaypolitics.com/2010/03/11/is-marco-rubio-anti-gay/ Oklahoma state senators yesterday voted overwhelmingly to block federal law enforcement officials from investigating hate crimes in the state. The move is a reaction to enactment of the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act, passed by Congress last year, which added sexual orientation, gender identity ... http://www.gaypolitics.com/2010/03/11/oklahoma-senate-tries-to-thwart-u-s-hate-crimes-law/ A Northern Mississippi school district has cancelled its annual prom rather than change a policy that forbids same-sex couples from attending.  The ACLU of Mississippi had asked Itawamba County school officials to allow an 18 year-old student, Constance McMillen, to attend with her girlfriend, who is also a student. According to ... http://www.gaypolitics.com/2010/03/11/school-cancels-prom-to-avoid-lesbian-couple/ Under fire for several moves that have angered LGBT Virginians, Gov. Bob McDonnell sought to quiet critics today with a strongly worded "executive directive" that forbids state agencies from discriminating in hiring and treatment of public employees, and singling out sexual orientation as irrelevant to one's qualifications for employment.  The ... http://www.gaypolitics.com/2010/03/10/virginia-gov-issues-directive-on-state-job-bias/ Though Houston tourism officials have long sought to attract LGBT travelers to the city, the election of Annise Parker, an out lesbian, has "clearly benefitted" that effort, according to one city official interviewed by EDGE contributor Joseph Erbentraut, who writes: Many media pundits clamored that Parker’s election in Houston marked the ... http://www.gaypolitics.com/2010/03/10/gay-travelers-consider-houston-after-parker-victory/ State Sen. Roy Ashburn doesn't just represent a red district.  Locals call it "Texas meets Orange County," a place where an unknown local pastor got elected to the school board because he had "Pastor" in front of his name on the ballot, and where the anti-gay Prop 8 was approved ... http://www.gaypolitics.com/2010/03/10/coming-out-to-californias-social-conservatives/