We’ve just learned that the independent candidate who was to be Nickie Antonio’s sole opponent in her State House race has withdrawn, meaning she will become the first openly LGBT state lawmaker in Ohio.  She will still stand for election this fall, but now Antonio’s name will be the only one on the ballot for this seat.

Antonio, who now sits on the Lakewood, Ohio City Council, won the Democratic primary May 4, and no Republican filed in the heavily Democratic district that includes parts of Cleveland and Lakewood.  When she’s seated, Ohio will finally come off the list of states with no openly LGBT lawmakers in their state legislatures.  That will leave 18 states still on the list, including Florida, Texas, and Pennsylvania.

Last week Antonio told the Cleveland Plain Dealer she’d be proud to be the first gay state legislator, but that’s not why she ran.  ”Hopefully, once the first [openly gay] thing is done, there doesn’t need to be so much of a focus on that. How to best fix a hole in the budget — that’s not an issue where sexual orientation makes a difference.”

Nickie Antonio tonight won the Democratic primary in the District 13 Ohio State House race that drew no Republican opponents for the fall.  With only token opposition in the general election this November, Antonio is poised to become the state’s first openly LGBT state legislator.

Now in her second term on the Lakewood City Council, Antonio said, “I’m very thankful for the support of the Victory Fund.  I’m proud of their endorsement, and they really put their hearts into this campaign.  Like me, they believe that Ohio will benefit from having diverse voices in government that truly represent everybody in our state.”

The Victory Fund has endorsed 35 candidates in state legislative races so far this year.  One of the group’s goals is ensuring every state has at least one openly LGBT state legislator, said Chuck Wolfe, its president and CEO.

“We’re looking forward to finally adding Ohio to the list of states where our community has a voice in state government.  The most dynamic and important fights for our rights are happening in state legislatures, so it’s vital to have people like Nickie at the table of power.  Change can come slowly in Washington, so building our political power in state capitals can mean a quicker path to a more free, more fair America,” said Wolfe.

For a full list of LGBT candidates endorsed by the Victory Fund this year, go to www.victoryfund.org.

The Ohio state house approved a nondiscrimination bill on Tuesday with the goal of providing employment and housing protections in the state.  Unfortunately, the bill is not likely to make it out of the senate.  The Advocate reports:

A bill to protect LGBT people from discrimination in employment and housing passed the Ohio state house on Tuesday, although its prospects in the senate appear far from certain. … The long-stalled bill finally moved toward a vote after Democrats captured the Ohio house last November. However, the bill is expected to face an uphill battle in the senate, where Republicans retain control.

Ohio is one of 20 states in the U.S. that has never elected an openly LGBT legislator.  States that are generally considered to be progressive stall on LGBT issues when there are no LGBT officials in the legislature.  Pennsylvania and Michigan, which have voted Democrat in every Presidential election since 1992, ban equal marriage and offer no workplace protections.  Both have yet to elect an openly gay or lesbian state legislator.

Of the twenty states lacking LGBT legislators, only two have nondiscrimination bills. Of the thirty states that have elected LGBT legislators, over half have passed such bills.

Two Victory-endorsed candidates led the pack in Ohio primary elections last night.

In the race for Akron city council, Sandra Kurt nearly tripled the incumbent’s vote count on her way to first place.  Kurt now advances to a general election against a Republican challenger.  If elected, Kurt will become the first openly LGBT elected official in Akron.

In the Lakewood city council race, Nickie Antonio leads the group of six challengers who will move onto the general election.

In August, Ohio’s Gay People’s Chronicle ran an informative bio on Antonio, who is gaining significant political momentum.

Nickie J. Antonio, first elected in 2005, is seeking a second four year term.

“I bring [lesbian] sensitivity to whatever I do,” Antonio said, “So when we [council] talk about community, we’re truly talking about everyone in the community.”

Ohio’s general election will be held November 3.

Victory-endorsed candidate Sandra Kurt received a major endorsement today.  Akron’s only daily newspaper, the Akron Beacon Journal, has come out in support of the openly lesbian candidate for the Ward 8 city council seat.  The newspaper cited Kurt’s dedication to community development in its ringing endorsement.

An industrial engineer at Goodyear, Kurt would bring a fresh perspective to help the city come to grips with more efficient and effective ways of delivering services. She realistically grasps the city’s budget squeeze, recognizing that cuts to police and fire personnel likely cannot be avoided, and would urge a long-needed rethinking about how the departments function. She also is a strong proponent of regionalism as a way to reduce administrative costs and improve performance.

When the city moves forward with complex projects, her engineering background would come into play. Since 2004, Kurt has been project manager for corporate facilities planning and operations analysis in Akron, developing and administering the company’s capital plan. Also appealing is her willingness to engage at the grass roots. Among other positions, she is past vice president of the Summit County Progressive Democrats, and she volunteers for the Battered Women’s Shelter.