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House District 61 candidate Keisha Waites picked up an endorsement from the national Gay & Lesbian Victory Fund. (File photo)
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HOME > NEWS > LOCAL
By: MATT SCHAFER
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Keisha Waites hopes Aug. 5 will be the last election she runs as a challenger.
Waites, who is running her fifth campaign in eight years, came within 31 votes of Ralph Long III during the July 15 primary as they emerged as the frontrunners of a six-person race to replace state Rep. Bob Holmes (D-Atlanta), who will retire from serving District 61 at the end of the year. If Waites wins the runoff on Tuesday, she will be the first lesbian of color elected to a state office. And while she embraces that potential, she is more concerned with the problems pressing in on the district.
“I understand the history of this race, I take nothing away from that, but this is my home,” Waites said. “There are eight foreclosures on my street. We have to work to improve our neighborhood.”
Since the July 15 primary, Waites picked up momentum and the endorsements of the Gay & Lesbian Victory Fund, Sierra Club, former rival candidates Paul Lockhart Sr. and Tony M.L. McCann, and former state representative Grace Davis.
Waites has run four campaigns in the past, but she said this is the most support any of her attempts have ever received. The strong support has even forced her to re-channel some of her resources.
“We have been going door to door every day to get the message to vote out, we’ve put out mailers, done phone bank. Actually, I decided to stop phone banking because it was starting to be too much,” Waites said.
With turnout expected to be low Aug. 5, Georgia Equality Executive Director Jeff Graham said gay voters could tip that race in her favor.
“I really think the LGBT community really can make a difference in Keisha’s race. If only 10 percent of the electorate come out to vote, and LGBT voters come out in force, than they can swing the election,” Graham said.
House District 61 includes the sections of East Point that have traditionally elected gay city council representatives. Although Waites is running against Long, who is straight, he believes he will garner his share of the gay vote.
“My campaign is gay-friendly all around,” Long said.
As evidence to his claim, he touted the endorsement of Sen. Vincent Fort (D-Atlanta), who is considered one of the most vocal gay allies in the state Senate.
“I’ve talked to him extensively on issues like predatory lending, funding for Grady, gay issues. He’ll be gay friendly,” Fort said. “I think we’ll be simpatico. I think he’ll have his own agenda of course, but on core progressive issues I think he’ll be right there with me and the voters of his district.”
Long has been actively campaigning and has recently explored several of the homeless issues in District 61 by visiting a tent city off Metropolitan Parkway.
“To be honest, I don’t care about winning if I’m elected and can’t do anything to help the district,” Long said. “I’d rather not have it if that’s the case. The conditions were deplorable at that tent city. We need to do something to help.”
Waites said she cares less about making history and more about affecting change.
“People keep asking me if I would be the first (openly gay) African-American to serve on the state level,” Waites said. “I am exited about that, but I am far more concerned about doing the work to improve my community.”
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