FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: August 10, 2006
Colorado Stonewall Democrats
Contact: Thaniel Chase Communications Director
chase@stonewalldems.org
Denver, CO–Colorado Stonewall Democrats (CSD) today released its second and final round of candidate endorsements. Among those endorsed were several winners in Tuesday’s primary elections. Unlike most Stonewall groups around the country, CSD is a part of the state Democratic Party and could not endorse any candidates who were running in a primary until after that primary was over
The endorsements were made based on the candidates’ answers to a CSD questionnaire designed to explore their views on gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender (GLBT) issues. Where applicable, voting records were also examined and taken into account. Only those who requested endorsements were considered. The letter of endorsement reads, in part, “…merely being a Democrat was not enough. We decided to only endorse those candidates who not only support us but are willing to openly support us through various aspects of their campaign,” and “…This year, the LGBT community is in the cross-hairs due to the Domestic Partnership Referendum and the anti-marriage Amendment. This is not a year we can afford for any equality-minded person to keep their support for our community in the closet.”
The following candidates for office in Colorado have been endorsed by the Colorado Stonewall Democrats:
Bill Ritter Governor
Ed Perlmutter HD7
Chris Romer SD 32
Claire Levy HD 13
Fern O’Brien Attorney General
Joan Fitz-Gerald SD 16
Ken Gordon Secretary of State
Karen Middleton Bd of Ed CD 7
Mike Cerbo HD 2
Joel Judd HD 5
Alice Borodkin HD 9
Paul Weisman HD 12
Debbie Benefield HD 29
Mollie Collum HD 39
Sue Radford HD 49
Linda Rockwell Clerk & Recorder Jefferson County
Doug Milliken Treasurer Arapahoe County
The COStonewallDems are an LGBT-rights group within the CO Democratic Party. The Colorado Stonewall Democrats engage and educate the Democratic Party and the LGBT community as advocates for equality through the political process.
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Did anyone who requested an endorsement and turned in a questionnaire get turned down?
Although we may have chosen not to endorse a few candidates, we did decide not to publicize those who asked because they are still Dems and didn’t want to give them negative publicity.
Some of the people in round 2 were people who were initially not endorsed in round one, but further conversations with them lead to an endorsement upon 2nd consideration.
I just realized that Karen Teja (HD14( got left off the list.
Sorry Karen!
did kennedy get denied or just not questioned? the people NOT on the list are much more interesting (at least to me) than the ones on it.
What about Morgan Carroll in H.D. 36 (eastern Aurora)? Or that obscure Denver backbencher, Andrew Romanoff? I can appreciate for some, an endorsement from Stonewall might be dangerous to their political health (e.g., Mike Merrifield). Without naming names, how many asked that an enodrsement not be made public?
No one asked that they be endorsed but it not be made public (kinda defeats the purpose of an endorsement).
To asnwer a few questions:
Cary Kennedy, Morgan Carroll, and Mike Merrifield were endorsed in our first round of endorsements in mid-June.
Romanoff did not seek an endorsement. It’s not like he needed it, does anyone think he is not going to win?
Dan Willis, Secretary
Colorado Stonewall Democrats
didnt see the first round. thanks for the clarification dan.
Just wondering how much this matters to the candidates? Any close races where your endorsements will help/hurt your candidates?
I must have not hit post.
Since this is the first year that Stonewall has done widespread endorsements in Colorado, we don’t really have a history to rely on for an answer to your question.
We are hoping our endorsements help motivate voters of the LGBT community to show up on election day. Our community has a notorious low voter turnout. This year we expect to do better because of the Domestic Partnership issue on the ballot and hope Stonewall endorsements will give some guidance to those who may not know the candidates as well as the readers of this forum do.
Have the Stonewall Dems issued any kind of statement yet on the selection Janet “Beastiality Rant” Rowland as Both Ways Bob’s running mate?
We generally do not comment on specific new items like this.
However, it would be my personal observation that this should be enough to encourage those Log Cabin Republicans out there to also vote Ritter this year.
It seems the leadership felt strongly enough about this one to comment.
Colorado Stonewall Democrats released the following earlier today (I hate working at a location where I can;’t check e-mail and keep up!):
Colorado Stonewall Democrats (CSD) today denounced the comments that equated homosexuality with bestiality made by Republican Lieutenant Gubernatorial candidate Janet Rowland.
The comments were made by Ms. Rowland during the March 17 “Colorado State of Mind” Rocky Mountain PBS public affairs show about the gay-marriage issue. Janet Rowland: “Homosexuality is an alternative lifestyle. That doesn’t make it a marriage. Some people have group sex. Should we allow two men and three women to marry? Should we allow polygamy with one man and five wives? For some, bestiality is an alternative lifestyle. Do we allow a man to marry a sheep? At some point, we have to draw a line.”
“Ms. Rowland’s comments reveal an astounding level of ignorance and hatred as well as a disregard for the consequences suffered by the LGBT (Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, and Transgender) community as a result of such public declarations of ignorant hate-mongering,” said Thaniel Chase, Communications Director for CSD. “She owes not only our community but the people of Colorado as a whole an apology. Her running mate Bob Beauprez and the rest of the Republican ticket would do well to disavow her comments also, or risk the public’s assuming that they endorse this brand of antiquated, wrong-headed prejudice. Any further from the mainstream and she would fall off the edge of the world that she undoubtedly also still believes is flat.”
CSD also praised Democratic gubernatorial candidate Bill Ritter’s campaign for addressing this incident quickly and speaking out against hatred and in favor of justice and fairness. Mark Ferrandino, Co-Chair of the Colorado Stonewall Democrats, stated, “We are proud to have Bill Ritter and Barbara O’Brien who will fulfill the Promise of Colorado for all Coloradans no matter of their sexual orientation or gender identity. This stands in stark contrast to the Republican candidates Beauprez and Rowland who use divisive wedge issues to reach out to the radical, and who are out of touch with mainstream Colorado.”