Gay incumbent Foster expects endorsement; Duncan, Jenkins also have supporters in LGBT political organization
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Jim Foster, Larry Duncan and Clay Jenkins. |
In a sign of the LGBT community’s growing political clout, all three Democratic candidates for Dallas County’s highest elected office in 2010 are actively courting the gay vote.
Openly gay Dallas County Judge Jim Foster, the incumbent who chairs the Commissioners Court, is seen as vulnerable but confirmed this week that he plans to seek re-election, even though he hadn’t filed to run by Wednesday, Dec. 9. The filing period for March primaries began last week and ends Jan. 4.
Dallas County Schools President Larry Duncan, a longtime straight ally of the LGBT community, and Highland Park lawyer Clay Jenkins have filed to run and will challenge Foster for the Democratic nomination.
Foster, Duncan and Jenkins all attended Stonewall Democrats of Dallas’ annual holiday party at the Round-Up Saloon this week, and all three said they would seek the group’s endorsement next month.
"Obviously the county judge race is going to be interesting," Stonewall Democrats President Erin Moore said. "I know all three of them have supporters in the group."
Moore added that Stonewall Democrats gives consideration to the fact that a candidate is openly LGBT only if "all other things are equal."
Stonewall Democrats, one of the county’s largest Democratic organizations, will hold its endorsement meeting for the primary the weekend of Jan. 14-16. And the race for county judge is one of several in which multiple gay-friendly candidates will vie for the group’s backing.
Local Democratic primaries have become more competitive in recent years as the party has solidified its majority in Dallas County.
"We’ve got a lot of friends running against each other, so it’s going to be a tough endorsement process," Moore said.
Foster was endorsed by Stonewall Democrats when he ran unopposed in the primary in 2006. A relative unknown outside the LGBT community at the time, Foster pulled a shocking upset of Republican Margaret Keliher in the general election as Democrats swept countywide races for the first time in decades.
Since then, Foster has been referred to as the "accidental judge" and widely criticized for his job performance, including by fellow Democrats and some LGBT leaders. Interviewed this week, Foster dismissed speculation that he’ll opt not to run.
"I think the news of my demise has been greatly exaggerated," Foster said. "Not only am I running, but I intend to win this election."
Asked whether he anticipates that he’ll again receive Stonewall Democrats’ endorsement, Foster said, "I don’t see how it could go to anyone else.
"I’ve spent my entire adult life working for the betterment of this community," he added.
Duncan, a former Dallas city councilman and longtime party activist, also has solid LGBT credentials.
Duncan’s résumé as an ally stretches back to the 1980s when he served as president of the Dallas Homeowners League, which endorsed Bill Nelson, the first openly gay candidate for City Council.
Duncan remains one of the most active non-LGBT members of Stonewall Democrats and was a finalist for the group’s Pink Pump Award this year.
"The others [Foster and Jenkins] were there last night, when it’s time to have a party," Duncan said a day after the event at the Round-Up. "I didn’t just show up with my hat in my hand when I want folks to support me because I’m running for election. I’ve been there month in, month out for years."
Asked whether he thinks he has the inside track for Stonewall’s endorsement, Duncan said: "I don’t take anything for granted, but a very sizeable number of the active community [leaders] have endorsed me."
Jenkins is perhaps the least well known of the three in LGBT political circles. But he has raised the most money and has been endorsed by numerous Democratic elected officials, including openly gay District Clerk Gary Fitzsimmons.
Asked about LGBT issues, Jenkins noted that he was the voting rights attorney in Texas for the Obama campaign last year.
"I believe the issues that are important to the GLBT community are the issues that are important to everyone in Dallas County," Jenkins said this week. "I became a lawyer to protect people’s rights and to ensure that everyone is treated fairly and equally."
Both Duncan and Jenkins said they support expanding the county’s employment nondiscrimination policy to include sexual orientation and gender identity. Foster said during his 2006 campaign that he would seek to add sexual orientation and gender identity to the policy, but he now says it’s been impossible due to opposition from other commissioners.
"I’m the only member of that court who supports it, and until we get some new gay-friendly members on that court, you will not see a change," Foster said.
The Commissioners Court currently has a 3-2 Republican majority, but in addition to Foster, two of the Republicans are up for re-election.
All three Democratic candidates for county judge also support offering domestic partner benefits to county employees, but Jenkins added that he would first want to study the cost.
On the Republican side, Cedar Hill councilman Wade Emmert is the only person who’s filed to run for county judge, although former Dallas City Councilman Mitchell Rasansky has been rumored as a possible candidate.
Log Cabin Republicans President Rob Schlein said Emmert has attended multiple Log Cabin meetings in recent months and is a "great guy."
"He’s a self-professed right-winger, but I think the role of county judge probably is more budgetary than it is community-issue specific," Schlein said.
This article appeared in the Dallas Voice print edition December 11, 2009.
“All three Democratic candidates for county judge also support offering domestic partner benefits to county employees, but Jenkins added that he would first want to study the cost.”
I’m curious to know just how much equality is worth to Mr Jenkins. Apparently he can quantify it with a dollar amount.
Apparently, reporter John Wright is asleep at the wheel:
“Dallas County Judge Jim Foster, the incumbent who chairs the Commissioners Court, is seen as vulnerable but confirmed this week that he plans to seek re-election, even though he hadn’t filed to run by Wednesday, Dec. 9.”
If you had checked your facts before going to press, you would know that County Judge Jim Foster has indeed filed for re-election – and did so on Wednesday, Dec.9.
Clay Jenkins has openly stated on multiple occasions that he does not support “the Gay lifestyle,” but would seek the endorsement of Stonewall nonetheless. Perhaps reporter Wright can spare some time to follow up and report on that!
It would also be refreshing to read an article that actually reported something worthwhile (even interesting) about the candidates (facts not ficture or heresay). What are the candidates’ platforms, what issues are important to them, what do they stand for? What are some of the things that have been accomplished by imcumbant Judge Foster? What does Larry Duncan bring to the table – what issues are important to him? What does he think about the Inland Port project? Who would he appoint to the Parkland Board? If elected, how would Duncan handle JWP pounding and bellowing inches from his face?
I’m not interested in Jenkins – I already know all I need to about him: he simply wants our support, even though he admittedly “cannot support the Gay lifestyle.”
Seriously, you’re a reporter – write something worthwhile – and, please check your facts next time!
Clay Jenkins treats our community in the same way that black churches in the south complain how white politicians treat them. They show up every re-election, smile and tell everyone to vote for them, and then disappear for the next two years. We need candidates that pay more than lip service to us for votes.
Great article and even greater comment postings!
My evaluation of the 3 candidates:
1. Clay Jenkins – skip past him for the obvious reasons.
2. Jim Foster – we’ve seen what he has done for our group and for all Dallas County: nothing. in 3 yrs, nothing.
3. Larry Duncan – He served on City Council for 8 yrs (4 terms) and never disappointed us. He has always been there for Stonewall and the Gay/Lesbian community.
The choice is obvious.
Kirk Williams must live under a rock if he isn’t aware of even a few of the many things Judge Foster has accomplished.
1. Judge Foster has fought for ethics reforms at the county level.
2. Foster’s Clean Air Task Force was named the model program for the State of Texas, as a direct result of his mandates and the work he has done.
3. Judge Foster enacted a county-wide order for home-owners age 65 & over, so their taxes will never go up as long as they own their home.
4. Enabled an investigation into corrupt practices of Constables – even when no one else had the guts to stand up to the corrupt power brokers behind the scenes.
5. Got nightclubs shut down that were employing under-age girls (as young as 12 years old!).
6. Appointed the first gay to sit on Parklands Board, and has done the same for other important county boards as well.
That’s just a few of the things he has accomplished for you, me, and all of Dallas county. Even as you turn your back on him, he is working for you and standing up for your rights!
Maybe you’re just upset that while you were attending parties and other club festivities, Judge Foster was busy actually working – and standing up for your rights and mine! Maybe Duncan will be able to attend the festivities while Judge Foster continues with his work to bring ethics reform to county government!
One thing for sure- Judge Foster has always looked out for our interests – even when he’s facing down JWP and others, instead of running away – or attending our meetings instead of attending to business for all of us.
Obviously some people have forgotten that Foster has been there for them from the beginning!
Village Native,
I apologize for the delay. I just now saw your comment.
No. 1, you’re correct, Jim Foster has now filed. However, he had not filed by last Wednesday when I checked the Web site, as I stated in the story.
No. 2, we are the newspaper serving the LGBT community. Therefore we are concerned primarily about LGBT issues. The Inland Port, for example, is not an LGBT issue. Domestic partner benefits for county employees is an LGBT issue.
No. 3, I’ve never heard Clay Jenkins say that he doesn’t “support the gay lifestyle.” And I’ve never heard anyone other than you say that they’ve heard Jenkins say this. And yet you are suggesting that I report it as fact?
No. 4, I had a question for you: Are you by any chance a supporter of Jim Foster? Just wondering.
Let’s look at some of Larry Duncan’s accomplishments for the LGBT community:
“As a member of the City’s Health and Human Services Commission, he advocated AIDS funding at the start of the epidemic in 1983, … Duncan … also backed deceased gay activist Bill Nelson for his unsuccessful City Council race, which was the first time an openly gay candidate ran in Dallas.
“Former City Council member Craig McDaniel, who is gay, said that Duncan helped him and Chris Luna, also a gay former council member, get a nondiscrimination policy passed forbidding the city from engaging in employment discrimination against gays and lesbians. Duncan also supported the city’s legislative efforts to put an end to insurance companies redlining gay neighborhoods in Texas, he said.
“‘Larry was very good on the council in supporting our community’s issues,’ McDaniel said.â€
— “Municipal special election candidates vie for gay voters,” by David Webb, Dallas Voice 2001