Well, here’s some slightly good political news during what is proving to be an otherwise very bleak week in American politics…
After a tough primary followed by an even tougher runoff, a former U.S. Marine and openly gay man running for a House seat in Alabama’s 54th district has just won his party’s nomination.
Neil Rafferty announced his bid for a seat in the Alabama House back in February of this year.
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Nine days ago, I was approached by a dear friend who asked if I would consider running to fill the vacant seat for…
Posted by Neil Rafferty on Sunday, February 11, 2018
The seat is being vacated by Democrat Patricia Todd, the state’s first gay legislator, who announced in January that she would not be seeking reelection.
Yesterday, Rafferty won the Democratic runoff election, receiving 2,531 votes, or 67.12 percent, of the vote. His opponent Jacqueline Gray Miller, an environmentalist and marketer, trailed behind him at 32.88 percent.
So how did he celebrate his runoff victory, you wonder?
By going to a bar, of course!
After the results came in yesterday evening, Rafferty, who works as the director of research and development at Birmingham AIDS Outreach, took to Facebook to invite his friends and supporters to celebrate with him at Crestwood Tavern, a local dive bar.
But today it’s back to work for Rafferty. He needs to prepare for the general election in November, where he will face off against Independent Joseph Baker.
Related: This hunky gay U.S. Marine just announced he’s running for office in Alabama
puck80
So now all it takes to get gushed about as a candidate is to be hunky? Really setting our standards high, aren’t we? Go figure we’re in this dumpster fire.
How about talking about even one of his policies he’d implement if elected?
dbmcvey
Where did anyone say that at any time.
tham
I’m so outraged by your outrage…or something like that…
GetOffMyInternets
As with anything Graham writes, it’s usually shallow and vapid. Can we expect better? No.
Nosso Crankee
Oooh. Edgy….
Kangol
So glad he won! Now onto November!
fur_hunter
I am so happy for him. AGAIN…Alabama surprised me. They elected Doug Jones over that imbecilic, ignorant, intolerant, bigoted child molester and now they have elected an openly gay man as a candidate. I wish him all the luck…Bon Chance! This is showing to me that the old fogies who are total idiots must be dying off, thank you, Jesus, and more intelligent younger individuals are taking their place. Maybe there is hope for Alabama after all.
Gregg
Doug Jones ran against Bob Menendez?
Mack
But have you noticed that Doug Jones seems to be voting for everything the Republicans want? I’m not sure we should celebrate him.
Kangol
@Mack, here’s Doug Jones’s voting record in 2018. Actually, he was predicted to have an 85.9% voting w/ Trump record, given his margin of victory and the fact that he is a moderate Democrat from Alabama. Let me say that again, he’s a moderate Democrat from Alabama. Not Vermont, California, Oregon, etc. Instead, he has a 50% voting record with Trump, considerably more liberal than expected, for a -35.9 Trump differential. On key votes for Net Neutrality, CIA chief Gina Haspel’s nomination to head the CIA, seeking Congressional approval for tariffs, the White House’s immigration proposal, etc., he’s voted against the Trumpkin. Had racist, anti-gay, alleged teen molester Roy Moore been elected, it would have been 100%.
Xzamilloh
@Kangol he won because the Democratic base in Alabama came out to vote for him and sent him over the top against Roy Moore… a 50% voting record pro-Trump is hardly liberal by any stretch of the imagination and shows why moderate Democrats will continue to lose, because we expect so little from them. Him being from Alabama has nothing to do with his being a blue dog Democrat; he’s not winning over Republican voters because they’re always going to vote for the Republican.
James Hart
Ridiculous.
You’re very ignorant about Alabama, aren’t you?!
The district this guy is running in is THE MOST LIBERAL in all of Alabama. Alabama is not changing, he’s just lucky to be running in that district.
James Hart
In 2020, the GOP candidate will WIN big over Doug Jones, as long as the Alabama GOP doesn’t nominate a crazy bird like Roy Moore.
Doug Jones even admitted this probability in an AP interview he gave recently.
lakeviewer
This is the way to a new Progressive Party! Go fight to regain the future back for the prosperity of all of the people, Neil Rafferty!