![Gilbert.Hank Hank Gilbert, who's running for agriculture commissioner, supports full equality for LGBT people, including same-sex marriage.](https://dallasvoice.com/instant-tea/wp-content/uploads/Gilbert.Hank_.jpg)
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Hank Gilbert, who’s running for agriculture commissioner, says he supports full equality for LGBT people. Gilbert, who faces Kinky Friedman in the March 2 primary, received a unanimous recommendation from Stonewall Democrats of Dallas’ endorsement committee over the weekend.
![Gilbert.Hank Hank Gilbert, who's running for agriculture commissioner, supports full equality for LGBT people, including same-sex marriage.](https://dallasvoice.com/instant-tea/wp-content/uploads/Gilbert.Hank_.jpg)
Hank Gilbert, who’s running for agriculture commissioner, says he supports full equality for LGBT people. Gilbert, who faces Kinky Friedman in the March 2 primary, received a unanimous recommendation from Stonewall Democrats of Dallas’ endorsement committee over the weekend.
As we mentioned last week, former Houston mayor Bill White, the frontrunner for the Democratic nomination for governor, will speak tonight at Stonewall Democrats of Dallas’ regular monthly meeting. The meeting begins at 6:30 p.m. at Ojeda’s, 4617 Maple Ave.
Also tonight, Stonewall’s general membership will vote on whether to ratify a long list of endorsement recommendations for the March 2 primary. Political Director Omar Narvaez told me yesterday that Stonewall’s endorsement committee screened a total of 92 candidates during about 20 hours of interviews over the weekend at Resource Center Dallas. Narvaez said a full list of endorsement recommendations won’t be availalbe until tonight, but they include White for governor, Ronnie Earle for lieutenant governor and Hank Gilbert for agriculture commissioner. In local races, the committee is recommending that the group get behind Larry Duncan for county judge and Dr. Elba Garcia for District 4 county commissioner, among many others. After the jump, more images from this weekend’s candidate screenings.
![Hodge.Terri District 100 State Rep. Terri Hodge will have the backing of Stonewall Democrats, and she'll need it in a tough primary battle against Eric Johnson.](https://dallasvoice.com/instant-tea/wp-content/uploads/Hodge.Terri_.jpg)
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District 100 State Rep. Terri Hodge will have the backing of Stonewall Democrats, and she’ll need it in a tough primary battle against Eric Johnson.
![Hodge.Terri District 100 State Rep. Terri Hodge will have the backing of Stonewall Democrats, and she'll need it in a tough primary battle against Eric Johnson.](https://dallasvoice.com/instant-tea/wp-content/uploads/Hodge.Terri_.jpg)
District 100 State Rep. Terri Hodge will have the backing of Stonewall Democrats, and she’ll need it in a tough primary battle against Eric Johnson.
![Foster.Jim County Judge Jim Foster, who was endorsed by Stonewall in 2006, received only two votes out of 34 when the endorsement committee met this weekend. Instead the committee is recommending that the group back Larry Duncan.](https://dallasvoice.com/instant-tea/wp-content/uploads/Foster.Jim_.jpg)
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Openly gay County Judge Jim Foster, who was endorsed by Stonewall in 2006, received only two votes out of 34 when the endorsement committee met this weekend. The committee is recommending that the group back Larry Duncan instead.
![Foster.Jim County Judge Jim Foster, who was endorsed by Stonewall in 2006, received only two votes out of 34 when the endorsement committee met this weekend. Instead the committee is recommending that the group back Larry Duncan.](https://dallasvoice.com/instant-tea/wp-content/uploads/Foster.Jim_.jpg)
Openly gay County Judge Jim Foster, who was endorsed by Stonewall in 2006, received only two votes out of 34 when the endorsement committee met this weekend. The committee is recommending that the group back Larry Duncan instead.
![parker.tonya Tonya Parker, who's running for the 116th Judicial District seat, would be the first openly LGBT African-American person elected in Dallas County.](https://dallasvoice.com/instant-tea/wp-content/uploads/parker.tonya_.jpg)
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Tonya Parker, who’s running for the 116th Judicial District seat, would be the first openly LGBT African-American person elected in Dallas County. Parker is unopposed in the primary and will face Republican Mike Lee in November.
![parker.tonya Tonya Parker, who's running for the 116th Judicial District seat, would be the first openly LGBT African-American person elected in Dallas County.](https://dallasvoice.com/instant-tea/wp-content/uploads/parker.tonya_.jpg)
Tonya Parker, who’s running for the 116th Judicial District seat, would be the first openly LGBT African-American person elected in Dallas County. Parker is unopposed in the primary and will face Republican Mike Lee in November.
![callahan.tena Judge Tena Callahan issued a historic decision in a same-sex divorce case in October, when she declared Texas' constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriage unconstitutional. Callahan is unopposed in the Democratic primary but will face Republican Julie Reedy in November.](https://dallasvoice.com/instant-tea/wp-content/uploads/callahan.tena_.jpg)
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Judge Tena Callahan issued a historic decision in a same-sex divorce case in October, when she declared Texas’ constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriage unconstitutional. Callahan is unopposed in the Democratic primary but will face Republican Julie Reedy in November.
![callahan.tena Judge Tena Callahan issued a historic decision in a same-sex divorce case in October, when she declared Texas' constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriage unconstitutional. Callahan is unopposed in the Democratic primary but will face Republican Julie Reedy in November.](https://dallasvoice.com/instant-tea/wp-content/uploads/callahan.tena_.jpg)
Judge Tena Callahan issued a historic decision in a same-sex divorce case in October, when she declared Texas’ constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriage unconstitutional. Callahan is unopposed in the Democratic primary but will face Republican Julie Reedy in November.
![jenkins.clay Clay Jenkins has raised the most money of the three candidates for county judge, and he has the backing of numerous Democratic elected officials, including openly gay District Clerk Gary Fitzsimmons. But Jenkins received only three votes out of 34 when Stonewall's endorsement committee voted to recommend Larry Duncan on Saturday.](https://dallasvoice.com/instant-tea/wp-content/uploads/jenkins.clay_.jpg)
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Clay Jenkins has raised the most money of the three candidates for county judge, and he has the backing of numerous Democratic elected officials, including openly gay District Clerk Gary Fitzsimmons. But Jenkins received only three votes out of 34 when Stonewall’s endorsement committee voted to recommend Larry Duncan on Saturday.
![jenkins.clay Clay Jenkins has raised the most money of the three candidates for county judge, and he has the backing of numerous Democratic elected officials, including openly gay District Clerk Gary Fitzsimmons. But Jenkins received only three votes out of 34 when Stonewall's endorsement committee voted to recommend Larry Duncan on Saturday.](https://dallasvoice.com/instant-tea/wp-content/uploads/jenkins.clay_.jpg)
Clay Jenkins has raised the most money of the three candidates for county judge, and he has the backing of numerous Democratic elected officials, including openly gay District Clerk Gary Fitzsimmons. But Jenkins received only three votes out of 34 when Stonewall’s endorsement committee voted to recommend Larry Duncan on Saturday.
I hope someone asks Bill White why he accepted an award from the Houston Area Pastor Council just one week after the council’s executive director said that Annise Parker wasn’t fit to be mayor because she’s a lesbian, and why he praised one of the council’s board members who’s church hosts an “ex-gay’ ministry for his “service”.
Regrettably, I was unable to attend the endorsement meeting of the Stonewall Democrats last week. A matter relating to my law practice came up late on Friday, and I informed the political director of Stonewall immediately that unfortunately I would be unable to attend.
I am very disappointed that Stonewall decided to endorse my opponent in this race. I have long supported equal rights for the LGBT community. I have actively campaigned in the Oak Lawn precincts that are part of my district for over 7 months; my wife, Nakita, is a dedicated member of the Resource Center Dallas Board of Directors and we have both strongly supported that organization’s mission; several prominent members of the LGBT community are supporting my campaign, including my campaign manager Juan Ayala, who is a former board member and board secretary of Stonewall, and Mike McKay, the executive director of Resource Center Dallas.
Despite Stonewall’s unanimous endorsement of my opponent in this race, I will continue to reach out to the LGBT community to let them know that my focus on cleaning up our state government, improving our public schools, bringing higher-paying jobs to our district, and making our neighborhoods safer is what we need to make our community better.
Eric Johnson
Democrat for State Representative, House District 100
http://www.johnsonfortexas.com