With lesbian mayor at the top of the ballot, 4 LGBTS among candidates for seats on City Council
Annise-Parker-wins
Daniel Williams | Contributing Writer
editor@dallasvoice.com
Houston Mayor Annise Parker, who’s 2009 election made her the first out LGBT mayor of a major American city, faces five challengers in her bid for re-election on Nov. 8, and more than one of those challengers brings a decidedly anti-gay record to the race.
Most prominent among the anti-gay candidates is Dave Wilson, who is infamous for his decades-long efforts to roll back advancements for LGBT Houstonians.
In recent weeks, the Wilson campaign has launched robocalls attacking Parker, as Wilson claims, using her position to advance her “alternative lifestyle.”
Also in the race are perennial socialist candidate Amanda Ulman, little-knowns Kevin Simms and Jack O’Conner, and Fernando Herrera.
Last year Herrera ran as the Republican candidate for Texas House District 148 against Democrat Rep. Jessica Farrar. During that race Herrera responded to a questionnaire from the right-wing think tank The Heritage Foundation with a statement that he opposed allowing same-sex couples to adopt or be foster parents.
A poll of 748 likely voters, published by television station KHOU-Houston on Oct. 17, shows Parker with a commanding lead, with 37 percent of the respondents saying they intended to vote for her. Most pundits expect the incumbent to win re-election handily.
Her five challengers split 11 percent.
But the big winner in the poll was “Do Not Know,” the option that pulled in more than 50 percent, reflecting the disinterest most Houstonians appear have towards the race.
Council elections
Houston has a 16-member city council, made up of 11 members representing districts assigned letters A-K, and five at-large positions. All 16 council members are up for election, as is the city controller, the position Parker held before being elected mayor.
Incumbent City Controller Ronald Green is unopposed.
The lack of a real contest in the mayoral race has driven voter participation down 20 percent from the last municipal elections in 2009, sending candidates scurrying for every available vote.
With Parker at the top of the ticket, several LGBT candidates are among those vying for a seat at the council table.
In at-large position 2, transgender candidate Jenifer Rene Poole and gay candidate Bolivar “Bo” Fraga are among the crowded field of 10 jockeying for position in the race.
Poole has the support of the Houston GLBT Political Caucus, the Houston Stonewall Democrats and the Houston Young Stonewall Democrats, while Fraga has the endorsement by the term-limited position incumbent, lesbian political veteran Sue Lovell.
Other position 2 candidates are Eric Dick, Elizabeth Perez, David Robinson, Kristi Thibaut, Griff Griffin, Rozzy Shorter, Andrew Burks and Gordon Goss.
In District C, gay candidate Josh Verde is one in a field of five contenders, including former state Rep. Ellen Cohen, who has the backing of the GLBT Political Caucus and Stonewall.
Other District C candidates are Brian Cweren, Karen Derr and Joshua Verde.
Gay candidate Mike Laster enjoys the endorsement of the Gay and Lesbian Victory Fund, the GLBT Political Caucus and both Stonewall clubs in his District J race. Laster has handily outstripped his two rivals — Rodrigo Canedo and Criselda Romero — in both fundraising and endorsements, but the race remains highly contested.
This article appeared in the Dallas Voice print edition November 4, 2011.
Wilson is now running radio ads stressing that Parker is lesbian, and complainting she is pushing a gay agenda by appointment of George Greanias to be METRO chair, who has recently had a gay porn at work scandal. At least two other at large candidates are gay, and I think openly so, but I will let them complain if they feel they were left out. Neither is likely to win. Herrera apparently is all over the map regarding gay issues, having had gay supporters in his last contest, and having stood up to the arch conservative Harris County GOP Candidates Committee by responding that he supported some domestic partnership benefits: ” I oppose homosexuality; however, if someone chooses to live with another for most of their life, I believe they should be entitled to a deceased pension and possibly inherit.”
I am a conservative and I believe Annise Parker is still the best person for Mayor of Houston. Who cares if she’s gay. I don’t. As long as she keeps Houston moving forwards which she has clearly done.