Curtis Morrison has been a diplomatic, honest, opinionated (especially on his blog, Louisville Courant), direct, no-nonsense “cut to the chase” kind of guy since I’ve known him. Earlier this year, Mr. Morrison (D-Louisville) decided to run for the Office of Jefferson County Judge/Executive. United We Stand – Kentucky’s LGBTI News™ has the pleasure of interviewing him.

Gordon Dennis Fox has the distention of being the first openly gay speaker of a state lower house, although Assemblyman John A. Pérez (D-Los Angeles) was elected to the speakership of the California Assembly several weeks before Fox (Pérez, however, will not be sworn in as speaker until March 1).
Members of the State of Rhode Island & Providence Plantations House of Representatives elected Fox to succeed William J. Murphy in a day of pomp and speechifying, capping months of behind-the-scenes maneuvering.

Election 2010 could bring additional changes to Kentucky’s political makeup. Democrats have taken additional seats in the Kentucky Senate, and the Commonwealth has two openly gay men running for the Kentucky House of Representatives. One key to victory for gay politicians has been building reputations in their communities as candidates well qualified for the job. Voters who may be uncomfortable with homosexuality in the abstract are often willing to vote for a gay individual they feel they know, political strategists claim.

Lexington Vice Mayor Jim Gray, an openly gay politician who has been critical of the Newberry Administration in the past, confirmed today that he is running for Mayor in 2010 against incumbent Jim Newberry.

Only days after Kalamazoo city voters approved an anti-discrimination ordinance to protect gays, lesbians and transgender individuals, Michigan Representative Pam Byrnes, current House speaker pro tem, has filed legislation to overturn Michigan’s ban on same-sex marriage.