|
Compiled by GayToday
|
Washington, D.C.--The Human Rights Campaign announced
Tuesday that it is making a dual endorsement in the Vermont U.S. Senate race.
The HRC Board of Directors voted in favor of endorsing Sen. James Jeffords, R-Vermont.,
and openly gay Democrat Edward Flanagan for their strong records supporting gay
and lesbian equality. |
Sen. James Jeffords (right) meets with a constituent in Vermont |
"It is highly unusual for the Human Rights Campaign to offer dual
endorsements," said HRC Political Director Winnie Stachelberg.
"This race provided unique challenges to our endorsement process and the criteria by
which we judge candidates. Jeffords deserves our support for his strong and
vigorous advocacy of our issues in the Senate and in the Republican Party.
At the same time, as the first openly gay candidate for Senate, Flanagan's
candidacy is of historical importance to the gay community and is also
deserving of HRC's support."
Jeffords, a two-term Republican incumbent, has been among the senators most
supportive of gay and lesbian, as well as HIV/AIDS, issues with an
outstanding 96 percent overall HRC voting record.
He is the author of the Ryan White CARE Act which provides care to people
with AIDS, and currently he is the lead sponsor of the Employment Non-Discrimination
Act, a bill to outlaw employment discrimination based on sexual orientation.
Jeffords was also an outspoken supporter and co-sponsor of comprehensive hate crimes legislation
that passed the Senate 57-42 in June. Jeffords chairs the Senate
Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, which has jurisdiction over
many key issues affecting the gay and lesbian community.
Democratic candidate Edward Flanagan |
Last week, State Auditor Flanagan made history by becoming the first ever
openly gay person to win a party's U.S. Senate nomination by defeating State
Senator Jan Backus. He is also the first openly gay elected statewide official.
He has proven his viability, says HRC, by winning four statewide elections. Earlier
this year, Flanagan played a leading role in getting state legislators to
pass Vermont's landmark civil union bill which grants many of the rights and
responsibilities of marriage to same-sex couples.
|
The nation's largest gay Republican organization endorsed only Senator Jeffords,
declaring his re-election as a "top priority race" for 2000.
|
"Jim Jeffords has an incomparable record of leadership and
accomplishment as a senior Republican Senator, and in his years of
service in the House and Senate, he has been there to fight for us
and lead," said Rich Tafel, executive director of Log Cabin
Republicans.
"There is no other Republican that can rival what Jim
Jeffords has meant to our community in the U.S. Senate, and we will
commit whatever resources are necessary to ensure he is re-elected by
a wide margin in November."
Tafel criticized the Human Rights Campaign's decision to
issue its "dual endorsement" of Jeffords as well as his Democratic opponent.
"You cannot compare 26 years of service in Congress, and the caliber
of leadership of Jim Jeffords, with the record of Ed Flanagan," Tafel
insisted.
|
Related Stories from the GayToday Archive:
Human Rights Campaign Endorses
GOP Senator D'Amato
Vermont Targeted by Hawaiian Anti-Gay Group
Barry Goldwater: Conservative & Human
Related Sites:
Ed Flanagan for Senate
Jim Jeffords for Senate
GayToday does not endorse related sites.
|
"A dual endorsement is no endorsement at all -- everyone in
politics understands that. It seems that HRC's criteria changes with
every election, and their actions never seem to show the least bit of
courage or principle. It is disappointing, but will not affect our
efforts to re-elect Senator Jeffords."
_
|
