WELCOME, MATT

Gay NY Mayor Enters Race For Pivotal Congressional Seat In 2012

Matt Alexander is wading into one of the most watched elections of 2012.

No, he’s not a late entrant to the Republican presidential pool—he’s the openly gay mayor of Wappingers Falls, NY, and he’s thrown his hat into the race for representative of New York’s 19th congressional district against incumbent Republican Congresswoman Nan Hayworth.

Barney Frank, who recently attended a fundraiser for Alexander, told Gay City News this election, “will be one of the most watched races of the year. If Matt doesn’t win, we won’t retake the House.”

To regain the majority they lost in 2010, Democrats need 25 additional seats in the House. With support from Frank, Rep. Carolyn Maloney and other congressional insiders, Alexander might have a better shot of defeating Hayworth than his two expected challengers for the Democratic nomination, Rich Becker, a town board member in Cortlandt, and Mayor Tom Wilson of Tuxedo Park.

Though embraced by the Tea Party right, Hayworth is something of a cipher when it comes to gay issues: She hasn’t supported the repeal of the Defense of Marriage Act, but has not embraced defining the institution as between a man and a woman either (“I will not seek to force a definition of marriage on the states,” she stated in a primary debate.)

Additionally, It’s been rumored that one of Hayworth’s two sons is gay.

Oddly enough, the campaign website for Alexander, 45, makes no mention of his sexuality or his position on any gay issues. We’re not saying he should post beefcake shots from Fire Island, but if Alexander hasn’t done anything for the gay community that he’s proud enough to mention as mayor, why be so sure he would as a congressman?

Photos: Matt Alexander for Congress

 

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