"David ran an excellent campaign of ideas, solutions and reform, and the entire city will greatly benefit from his leadership on the D.C. Council," said Richard Tafel, executive director of Log Cabin Republicans. "We're doubly proud that a gay Republican rounded out the GOP sweep of 1997. It is another illustration of how gay and lesbian voters cannot be ignored by the Republican Party if we want to be a majority party nationwide."

With the strong backing of the Capital Area Log Cabin Club, Catania defeated Democrat Arrington Dixon, who had previously served on the Council from 1974 to 1982, including one term as Council Chairman. The Washington Times called Catania's victory "a stunning setback for the city's Democratic Party establishment," while the Washington Post, which had endorsed Catania, said he had "defied overwhelming odds" in defeating Dixon. Catania won 43% of the vote, with Dixon taking 37%.

The upset victory was the final chapter of the Republican sweep in the 1997 elections nationwide, with Republican Mayors Rudolph Giuliani of New York and Richard Riordan of Los Angeles winning re-election by large margins, and Governor Christine Todd Whitman (R) winning re-election in New Jersey. Like all of these previous races, gay and lesbian voters played a major role in Catania's victory.

Election results indicate Catania captured over 70% of the vote in heavily gay and lesbian precincts, making up a substantial part of his margin of victory. In November, gay leaders in New Jersey pointed to heavy gay and lesbian support for Whitman, who won re-election by a razor-thin 1% margin. Both Riordan and Giuliani significantly increased their share of the gay vote over their first races in 1993 by aggressively courting the gay community throughout their terms in office.

"1997 was the year of the pro-gay Republican," Tafel said. "The majority of all the Republican victories this year went to fiscally conservative, socially inclusive candidates who stuck by their support of the gay and lesbian community and won. David Catania's victory is another example of how a message of fiscal conservatism, fighting crime and reforming education combined with tolerance and respect for individual rights for all citizens is winning elections for Republicans all around the country."

The D.C. Republican Party worked aggressively to turn out Republican voters in the city. D.C. Republican Committee Chairman Julie Finley led an unprecedented GOP get-out-the-vote effort in the District, with mailings, phone banks and leafleting directed at capturing the seat. In the city's Ward 3, where GOP registration is most concentrated, voter turn-out was nearly twice the rate of the turn-out citywide. RNC Chairman Jim Nicholson and former RNC Chairman Haley Barbour both contributed financially to Catania's campaign. The RNC sent out e-mails and faxes to Republicans in the District reminding them of the special election and urging them to go to the polls.

Catania is the latest openly gay Republican in the nation to hold elected office, joining Congressman Jim Kolbe (R-AZ), State Representative Chuck Carpenter (R-OR), Mayor Neil Giuliano (R) of Tempe, Arizona, and Councilman John Loza (R) of Dallas, Texas. All have had the strong support of Log Cabin Republicans and some, such as Loza and Catania, won in overwhelmingly Democratic areas.

Log Cabin Republicans is the nation's largest gay and lesbian Republican organization, with 50+ chapters nationwide. Supporting openly gay Republican candidates for office is one of LCR's top priorities for 1997.