The 52nd Congressional district race jumped into the national spotlight this week, with a story on Fox News featuring prominent Republican challenger Carl DeMaio, who is trying to unseat the incumbent, Rep. Scott Peters (D-San Diego).
The DailyBeast.com deconstructs that appearance, along with noting a number of milestones in DeMaio’s political career, while asking a key question – can DeMaio, who is an out gay man, garner the support of the LGBT community?
Or, as the Daily Beast article puts it, “He’s the first major candidate to put his partner in a campaign ad. Why are pro-gay groups against him?”
But then the site breaks it down a little further, asking “Is it hard for gay Republicans to find support in the LGBT community, or is it just hard for DeMaio?”
Critics point to a number of factors, including DeMaio’s silence on the Prop. 8 debate on gay marriage. But Republicans counter that LGBT leaders are being hypocritical in refusing to back one of their own because he is a conservative candidate.
In the Fox News piece, DeMaio said he has found “found more tolerance, acceptance and inclusion from social conservative groups” about being gay than from LGBT groups about being a Republican.
A DeMaio spokesman told the Daily Beast, for instance that the Victory Fund, a PAC which wants to increase the number of openly gay elected officials, had failed to endorse his candidate. But a Victory Fund leader said DeMaio never sought their support in his attempt to unseat Peters.
DeMaio has secured two endorsements from LGBT groups, but both have Republican agendas. Peters has been endorsed by local LGBT groups. For more, see The Daily Beast and Fox News.
