Democrat Linda Ketner is challenging incumbent U.S. Rep. Henry Brown (R) in South Carolina’s 1st congressional district. A recent poll shows her within five points of overtaking Brown. (Photo by AP)
With a few days to go before Election Day, several gay and gay-friendly candidates in races across the nation are eclipsing or closing in on their opponents.
One key race is the U.S. House contest from South Carolina’s 1st congressional district, where Democrat Linda Ketner is challenging incumbent Rep. Henry Brown (R-S.C.).
According to an Oct. 22 poll by Research 2000, Ketner, who is a lesbian, trailed Brown by 11 percentage points, with Brown earning 48 percent and Ketner taking 37 percent.
But an Oct. 27 poll by Survey USA had Brown leading Ketner, 50-45, with a margin of error of about 4 percent. Five percent of those surveyed were undecided. The poll also reported that 20 percent of likely voters are black, a group that Ketner leads 7 to 1, so a large black turnout on Election Day would benefit the Democratic challenger.
Hastings Wyman, the founding editor of Southern Political Report, said that the race is “leaning Republican, but only leaning,” and that Ketner can win.
“Fifty to 45 points is a weak lead for an incumbent,” he said. “She’s not the favorite, but she’s got a shot.”
Marty Rouse, national field director for the Human Rights Campaign, said that Ketner is “performing surprisingly well in a strong conservative district,” and it is “possible” for her to win.
Denis Dison, a Gay & Lesbian Victory Fund spokesperson, said the organization has been involved in Ketner’s campaign.
“She was endorsed early in the process, and we’ve been working with her ever since,” he said. “We have not made direct contributions, as we’re temporarily not a federal PAC, but we have done mailings for her. We were also paid by her campaign to do work for her with folks on our list who want to help fund openly LGBT candidates.”
Brown voted last year against the Employment Non-Discrimination Act and hate crimes legislation. He also voted in favor of the Federal Marriage Amendment in 2004 and 2006.
Ketner, a businesswoman, is a founding member of South Carolina Equality and served on the organization’s board of directors for years. She is no longer on the board, but remains a major donor.
Ketner’s sexual orientation has not been an issue in this race, something that Wyman attributes to Charleston, one of South Carolina’s largest cities, being in the congressional district.
“Charleston is a port city, and it is traditionally not a fundamentalist Christian city,” he said. “I’m not saying that Charleston is really liberal, as they’re generally fairly conservative, but they show some liberal sides.”
Also drawing attention is Colorado’s Jared Polis, who is running for the open U.S. House seat in Colorado’s 2nd District.
Polis is running against Republican Scott Starin. Polis, who is expected to win, would become the first openly gay man elected to Congress as a non-incumbent and join Reps. Barney Frank and Tammy Baldwin as Congress’ only out members.
Rouse said that his organization’s “highest priority” for U.S. Senate elections is Jeanne Shaheen, the former governor of New Hampshire, who is running against incumbent Republican John Sununu.
“Shaheen is a strong supporter of the GLBT community, especially when she was governor,” Rouse said. “She started moving New Hampshire in a much more GLBT-friendly direction. She repealed an adoption ban for gays and lesbians and supported a GLBT civil rights bill. She will be a strong ally for us in the Senate.”
GAY-RIGHTS OPPONENTS
Two other races pit strongly anti-gay U.S. House members against pro-gay, Democratic challengers. And the course of both races recently changed.
Last week the National Republican Campaign Committee pulled advertising from the re-election campaigns of Rep. Michele Bachmann (Minn.) and Rep. Marilyn Musgrave (Colo.).
In Colorado, Musgrave is trying to fend off Democrat Betsy Markey. A poll published Aug. 28 by SurveyUSA found that 50 percent of respondents favored Markey while 43 percent favored Musgrave.
Musgrave, who came to Congress in 2003, introduced the Federal Marriage Amendment in the House during the 108th and 109th Congresses. She also voted against the Employment Non-Discrimination Act.
“A Musgrave defeat would mean recognition that stomping on the GLBT community could lead to being kicked out of Congress,” Rouse said.
Bachmann, another anti-gay lawmaker who is running against Democrat Elwyn Tinklenberg, made headlines Oct. 17 when she questioned whether Democratic presidential nominee Barack Obama harbors “anti-American views.”
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