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U.S. Senate Endorsements for 2002 |
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Compiled By GayToday
Maintaining a well-respected PAC is an important responsibility and ensures that gay and lesbian issues are well represented on Capitol Hill. Since HRC's PAC is an instrument for advancing a legislative agenda in Congress, HRC favors supporting incumbents who have backed pro-gay legislation. It is essential that HRC stand by incumbents of both parties who have supported issues of concern to our community and Congress. The three new HRC endorsees are Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, Ron Kirk, D-Texas and Alex Sanders, D-S.C. "These candidates have earned our endorsement by consistently standing up for equality and supporting our issues," said HRC Political Director Winnie Stachelberg. "We hope our support will help lead to victory so they can make Capitol Hill a more fair-minded place." Collins was endorsed because of her strong Senate record in support of equality as well as HIV/AIDS issues. Collins is a co-sponsor of the Employment Non-Discrimination Act and voted for the measure in April in the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee and issued a statement of support for its passage. She also has a written non-discrimination policy in her office, stating that she will not consider sexual orientation in the hiring, firing or promotion of staff.
In Texas, HRC has endorsed Democratic candidate Ron Kirk who has had a strong record of support for the GLBT community in Dallas. Kirk is a strong supporter of key legislation such as the Employment Non-Discrimination Act, the Local Law Enforcement Enhancement Act and HIV/AIDS funding. Kirk's Republican opponent in November will be Texas Attorney General John Cornyn who was not supportive of a hate crimes measure in Texas that included coverage based on sexual orientation. While on the Texas Supreme Court, he voted to uphold the state's sodomy law, and did not support an effort for a domestic partnership registry for same sex couples. HRC will make the maximum PAC contribution allowed by law, send staff to work with HRC members and work to get the record out to Texas voters. Finally, in the South Carolina Senate race HRC has endorsed Democrat Alex Sanders, a former appellate judge and the former president of the College of Charleston. As a judge, he made case law and gained significant media coverage for granting custody of a child to its lesbian mother, over the objection of the heterosexual father.
Candidates previously endorsed by HRC are: Sen. Max Baucus, D-Mont.; Sen. Joseph R. Biden, D-Del.; Sen. Jean Carnahan, D-Mo.; Sen. Max Cleland, D-Ga.; Sen. Richard J. Durbin, D-Ill.; Sen. Tom Harkin, D-Iowa; Sen. John F. Kerry, D-Mass.; Sen. Mary L. Landrieu, D-La.; Sen. Carl Levin, D-Mich.; Sen. Jack Reed, D-R.I.; Gov. Jeanne Shaheen, D-N.H.; Sen. Gordon Smith, R-Ore.; Tom Strickland, D-Colo.; Sen. Robert Torricelli, D-N.J.; and Sen. Paul Wellstone, D-Minn. HRC's political action committee will make over 200 endorsements, spend $1 million and send staff to work with HRC members on key campaigns in the 2002 election cycle. Additionally, HRC will highlight the records of all people running for the House and Senate. |
HRC endorsed Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Ron Kirk of Texas 
Looking to replace Strom: Alex Sanders is the choice of HRC in South Carolina 