In some ways, yesterday’s election results were a referendum on the GOP and its plan to turn America into a right-wing, reactionary regime, state by state. The good news is many of their high-profile campaigns—like Mississippi’s anti-choice “personhood” ballot measure and Ohio’s union-busting Issue 2—failed.
Want a cherry on top? Chris Seelbach became the first out city council member in Cincinnati, a town not exactly known for its progressive values.
Seelbach, 31, a former staffer for Vice Mayor David Crowley, worked to overturn a law that banned labeling LGBT people as a protected class in 2004. He now works as a vice president at a local marketing firm and co-chairs the Cincinnati branch of HRC.
All in all, voters in Cincinnati (a.k.a. the Queen city) ousted four Republicans from the council—in part a backlash against Issue 2, which would’ve limited the collective bargaining rights of unions.
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“I think the voters clearly decided they wanted a progressive council,” said Mayor Mark Mallory. “I am thrilled for the city of Cincinnati.”
Seelbach—a Kentucky transplant lives with his partner, Craig, in Cincinnati’s historic Over the Rhine neighborhood—seems like a right-on dude,. And he’s not exactly hard on the eyes either. Check him out in a campaign commercial below.
christopher di spirito
The election results from Ohio represent a solid repudiation of douchebag Republican Gov. John Kasich. The anti-collective bargaining measure went down in flames, the Democratic mayor of Columbus was reelected and Cincinnati elected an openly gay city council member.
J Adam Metcalf
Roxanne Qualls was on the city council then mayor. I believe it is widely known that she is a lesbian. I could be incorrect however.
NateB79
@christopher di spirito: We’re getting Kasich and his bullshit right out of here. I was really excited to see that Seelbach was elected.
christopher di spirito
@NateB79: I couldn’t believe Ohio elected Kasich in the first place. No one I know in Columbus or Cleveland voted for him. Yet, he slipped in.
NateB79
I know what you mean,I certainly didn’t vote for him. I do take some solace in the fact that he barely was voted in. But in places like Dayton (where I’m at) people bought his BS because they were desperate. The economy was tanking, Dayton alone was at something like 12% unemployment, and he swooped in, singing the song that everyone wanted to hear. More jobs, balanced budget, great Ohio again. Unfortunately for those of us that didn’t buy it, a lot of people did. Then almost immediately after getting inaugurated, he began to systematically screw the middle class. I’m proud that Ohioans took a stand Tuesday and showed him what a prick most of us think he is.
Chuck
@J Adam Metcalf: Roxanne Qualls is a lesbian but she was not out and I don’t think she is even now.
Jamar
Qualls is married to a man. She just got married this past year.