The Kentucky gay vote. No openly gay candidate has ever been elected to the Kentucky House or Senate.
May 20th, 2010 | By Michael Thomas, Kentucky Political Editor & Senior Contributor | Category: Kentucky Guardian News, Kentucky Political News, Lead Story
Democratic turnout in Kentucky declined 8% from the last midterm, while Republican turnout rose 27%.
Curtis Morrison, an openly gay candidate for Jefferson County Judge Executive lost his campaign, though he received a respectable 19.10% of the vote, or 11,266 votes for a campaign run entirely from a Facebook page. (exclusive interview)
Mike Slaton (D-Louisville) lost in Kentucky House District 41 to the incumbent, Tom Riner (D-Louisville). Slaton received 38.66% of the vote, with 1,501 votes.
No openly gay candidate has ever been elected to the Kentucky House of Representatives or the Kentucky Senate. Former Senator Ernesto Scorsone (D-Lexington), didn’t announce his true sexual orientation until after he was elected and did not seek re-election.
Scorsone was appointed as a Circuit Court Judge by Governor Steve Beshear as a Circuit Court Judge, thus, the Commonwealth’s tolerance of electing a gay lawmaker has yet to be gaged.
In Lexington, openly gay Vice Mayor Jim Gray will face incumbent Mayor Jim Newberry in November. Newberry won 43.68%, of of the vote, with 21,648 votes. Gray closed behind the incumbent with 35.72% of the vote, with 17,703 votes.
Most of the increased Republican turnout across Kentucky was contributed to the anti-gay Tea Party movement.
The Tea Party movement that emerged in 2009 through a series of local and nationally-coordinated Tea Party protests are in response to the 2008 bailouts, the 2009 stimulus package, a large an intrusive federal government, and the Democratically-sponsored 2009-2010 health care reform bills.
According to the Wall-Street Journal, the wave that started last year is continuing to gain velocity, size and force. This week’s elections confirmed what the evidence has shown since last summer: U.S. President Obama’s agenda is a political killer and his endorsement is of little help.
A Republican now holds the seat of the deceased pro-gay rights U.S. Senior Senator from Massachusetts, Ted Kennedy. No Republican had held that post for nearly 50 years. (previous story)
United We Stand (old version)
I thought Mr. Morrison had an inpressive outcome since he only had Facebook support. If he had actually put forth any effort into his own campaign he would have probably won easily. Mike Slaton is a snob and I hated him even when he worked for Louisville Fairness Campaign but then again he is no more of a snob than the currect director they have or the enite organization since I am on topic. I really wish Mr. Morrison had focused on his own campaign he would have been a wonderful Executive Judge for our county. I was impressed with his interview on this site and supported him 100%.
Oh, also I hope Mr. Morrison decides to run again.
Twitter: None
June 1st, 2010 1:17 PM
I thought Mr. Morrison had an inpressive outcome since he only had Facebook support. If he had actually put forth any effort into his own campaign he would have probably won easily. Mike Slaton is a snob and I hated him even when he worked for Louisville Fairness Campaign but then again he is no more of a snob than the currect director they have or the enite organization since I am on topic. I really wish Mr. Morrison had focused on his own campaign he would have been a wonderful Executive Judge for our county. I was impressed with his interview on this site and supported him 100%.
Twitter: None
June 4th, 2010 8:57 PM
I thought Mr. Morrison had an inpressive outcome since he only had Facebook support. If he had actually put forth any effort into his own campaign he would have probably won easily. Mike Slaton is a snob and I hated him even when he worked for Louisville Fairness Campaign but then again he is no more of a snob than the currect director they have or the enite organization since I am on topic. I really wish Mr. Morrison had focused on his own campaign he would have been a wonderful Executive Judge for our county. I was impressed with his interview on this site and supported him 100%.