It looks like Congress will soon have a new homo-politico.
Colorado-based Jared Polis won his Congressional primary last night, beating out long-time lawmaker Joan Fitz-Gerald. An entrepreneur who also sat on his state’s Education Board, Polis based much of his campaign on Iraq and environmental sustainability. And, from the sound of it, his constituents liked what they see.
Fitz-Gerald pulled out before all the votes had been counted, when Polis had forty-three percent of the vote, while she had thirty-nine.
Accepting the Democratic nomination last night, Polis spoke of breaking boundaries: “This election cycle, a lot of barriers are being broken. At the congressional level, we are showing that people are willing to elect a candidate based on their values and ideas and not their sexual orientation.”
Polis made headlines for pumping millions of his own fortune into his race, a factor many say helped him win the race:
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At $5.3 million at last count, Polis easily demolished previous Colorado records for self-funding a race. Furthermore, Polis, Shafroth and Fitz-Gerald each topped $1 million in outside contributions, making the three-way race the most expensive primary in the nation.
The less-wealthy candidates both said that Polis’ cash changed the dynamics of the race, forcing them to focus on fundraising and spend less time on the campaign trail.
“If we’d all been given the same amount of money at the beginning, this race would have looked a lot different,” Fitz-Gerald said last week. “It’s like watching a tsunami come . . . and you’re not sure how big it’s going to be.”
This one could be big. With no Republican opponent, Polis will no doubt take his Congressional seat in Washington next year, which brings the Hill’s out homo tally up to three: Barney Frank, Tammy Baldwin and now Polis.
[Photo by Joshua Lawson]
Jason
He’s a bit chuncky, but I find him kind of sexy.
Mad Professah
Polis does have a Republican opponent, but the 2:1 registration edge for the Democrats in the 2nd Congressional district of Colorado almost ensures he will become the first non-incumbent openly-gay congressperson elected.
Charley
Congrats. Great news. I was happy to support him. Comes from good family. His mother and father are artists and war protestors.
Jersey
Is that his partner in the pic with him?
chuck
Sally Kern must be gnashing her teeth in anguish.
Another queer has ‘infiltrated’ (her term) the government. lol
lyssa
Is he a transhater like Barney?
Raven
Barney was never a trans hater. He just knows which battles can be won at this time.
Doodles
Is that really his partner? I mean he’s seriously cute, but like, really? the other guy looks like he’s 16!
lyssa
Actually, Raven, Barney has used the same arguments against trans rights as the right wingers. He is on record as dumping longtime friends who transition.
He is a *proven* trans hater.
Like entirely so many gays and lesbians.
Hate is a disease, and so is denial.
Get help.
chuck
If you already knew the answer, Lyssa, then why did you ask the question in the first place?
Has Polis taken the same stance you feel Barney has, or is this just an excuse to dump on a gay man who was just elected to a public office?
slider
Doodles..if you click on the article you will see the caption that says the guy with him is his partner.
Polis seems like a very good down to earth guy with a good head on his shoulders and seeking to be common sense in soultions.
We could use more like Polis in Congress. Congratulations to him and I am sure he will serve Colorado and the country to the best of his abilities……and that’s all we can ask for!
How about we celebrate rather then stand in a circle and shoot at each other.
I also think that the Democratic Congress gives us lip service and nothing past that…..they should have started with ENDA (since everyone can relate to that no one should be fired or loss housing for being Gay)
But that’s another story…any way I am very glad that Mr. Polis won and will be on his way to Congress……..Congratulations to him and for us!!
lyssa
Chuck
I do not know the answer…I would like to find out.
That said, you raised a bogus defense of Barney. I called you on it.
My original question remains.
What is this guy’s stance on trans rights?
@Slider…Assuming you met the guy, that sounds encouraging. Time will tell, I suppose.
As far as shooting each other, why doesn’t gay america make the first move and stop shitting on trans women?
Beyond that, if prominent gay and lesbian Americans stopped shitting on trans folk, I would quickly move on to things that we all can benefit from. In the meantime, gay America needs to be kept honest.
Charles J. Mueller
>That said, you raised a bogus defense of Barney. I called you on it.
Really, now?
Exactly where exactly was it that I defended Barney and where did you call me on it?
You are obviously referring to the lack of inclusion of trans-gender people in the ENDA bill.
While I can understand your frustration, which is very much like the frustration I endure with marriage equality that will not allow me to petition my government to bring my bi-national relationship to closure here in the USA, I offer this article in the Washington Blade for your edification. Your mileage while reading it may vary.
http://www.washblade.com/2007/10-19/view/columns/11424.cfm
lyssa
Charles…it was my bad
you misinterpreted an earlier statement I made, and I assumed you were a prior commenter. Mixed signals…read…and it will become obvious.
And, I am referiing to ENDA
SONDA every time we have been left behind
all the lesbian hate speech directed at trans women, the exclusion, the bullying I received from gay men, our being shitcanned from the GLF,yadda yadda yadda.
And no, gay marriage is trivial compared to trans concerns. Sorry. It is.
Unless you are seriously going to tell me about gay marriage causing 1 in 8 of you to be murdered, like trans women from my demographic, 1 in 3 HIV infection rates, refusal of gay clinics to treat trans women (witness Fenway on Boston, which finally caved in after years of fighting… and still fucks it up)
The marriage comparison was grandiose, and inappropriate, and reflects a piss poor understanding of what it means to be trans in America.
And oh yeah, every transperson in your situation fares worse or just as bad.
and the Washington Blade has a long history of transphobia, and specifically, hate towards trans women. Plus, that rticle is seriously flawed, and insulting. Not to mention lacking in Barney’s hateful bon mots about trans women.