American Mid-Term Election Wrap Up: The Good, The Bad and The Ugly

The Good
Record 106 GLBT Candidates Elected in 2010

A record number of openly LGBT candidates have been elected to public office in 2010, according to the Gay & Lesbian Victory Fund. “There is no sugar-coating the loss of so many of our straight allies in Congress, but we can be proud that our community continues to expand its voice at all levels of government in America,” said Chuck Wolfe, president and CEO of the Victory Fund. “Out public officials are having a sizable impact on the local, state and national debates about LGBT equality. Increasing their numbers is a vital part of a long-term strategy to change America’s politics and make our country freer and fairer for everyone. We will continue to focus on training committed, qualified candidates, and we will work hard to get them elected to public office.”

At least 106 of the group’s record-breaking 164 endorsed candidates were winners as of Wednesday morning, the Victory Fund said.

Perhaps the most pleasant surprise came in Lexington, Kentucky, where openly gay construction company executive Jim Gray won election as mayor. The Lexington Herald-Leader reported the news shortly after the polls closed at 6 p.m. Gray has been serving as the city’s vice mayor and defeated incumbent mayor Jim Newberry. READ MORE

Gay-friendly Results: Jerry Brown Elected Governor, Part of Democratic Wave in California:

The election of Jerry Brown as governor gives California’s LGBT community a huge sigh of relief. Brown has vowed to fight for equality issues and to continue the legal effort to overturn Proposition 8, which bans gay marriage in California. The Republican opponent Meg Whitman had pledged to try to intervene in the appeals court case that begins in December. In unofficial returns, Brown handily defeated Whitman by a vote of 54% to 41%. Four other candidates collected the remaining votes.

The Bad
A Loss on Gay Rights:

The “message” of the election last night was immediately said to be about the economy. Republicans preaching tax cuts and budget cuts prevailed in great numbers. But there was a message on social issues, too, especially on gay rights. The Tea Party and its allies, for all their talk about economics, are closely alligned with the social conservatives who dominate the Republican Party. The movement to repeal Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell by Congressional vote may be another casualty of last night’s election.

The Ugly
Iowans Dismiss Three Justices Who Backed Gay Marriage:

Three Iowa Supreme Court justices lost their seats Tuesday in a historic upset fueled by their 2009 decision that allowed same-sex couples to marry. Vote totals from 96% of Iowa's 1,774 precincts showed Chief Justice Marsha Ternus and Justices David Baker and Michael Streit with less than the simple majority needed to stay on the bench. Their removal marked the first time an Iowa Supreme Court justice has not been retained since 1962, when the merit selection and retention system for judges was adopted. The decision is expected to echo to courts throughout the country, as conservative activists had hoped.