My thoughts on the "outing" of the Southern GOP candidate for Governor

[Dob Bole]

Per a thread in the GD: Politics forum this weekend, per www.politics1.com, someone is working on outing a Southern GOP candidate for governor, but isn't sure if they'll be able to connect the dots and publish by election day. Good: I don't want this person outed before election day.

Please allow me to explain. I'm not opposed to candidates being "outed" per se...I hope for a day when the sexuality of a candidate will not matter at all., and he/she will not feel the need to hide it. But in this situation, one of two things will happen:

Scenario #1: In every Southern state except Arkansas (a victory which will give Democrats control of the Southern Governor's Association, by the way) the GOP candidate is currently expected to win. If the candidate in question is outed before the election, in the socially conservative South, Democrats will most likely win an extra gubernatorial seat.

Scenario #2: If the candidate is outed AFTER the general election, there will possibly be a gay governor for four years in a Southern state.


I favor the second scenario. One, because I love to see a good GOP argument fall apart: they haven't been able to successfully use the "Hollywood elite" label since the Governator has been in office. Two, it would make the GOP have to deal with itself, and boy would that be fun to watch! Three, there would be a gay governor in a southern state...and that could really do a lot to change public attitudes toward openly gay politicians.

So again we have the argument of micropolitics vs. macropolitics. I favor macropolitics in this case...but of course none of us have any control over this situation, if the rumor is even true in the first place.

Thoughts?




Source: http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=132&topic_id=2881719

[beyurslf]

1. In scenario 1, you mean in southern states? Many states are

expected to have the Dem win: NY, KS, MI and a host of others. If the person is a hypocrite who has voted against gay rights or supported other candidates who did, then out them now. NO MORE HYPOCRITES getting elected by hate.

[Dob Bole]

2. Yes. Most southern candidates are incumbents this year...

And of course, as I said, I don't oppose outing, just the timing.

I knew I would get emotional overflow from that other thread...

[beyurslf]

3. You might want to correct that in the original post because it isn't

clear you mean Southern states in #1.

[Dob Bole]

4. k thanks

[StellaBlue]

5. I have no facts, but... the word on the street for a long time

has been that Rick Perry (R-Texas) is gay. He does have awfully good hair.





But Hayley Barbour would almost be funnier.

[Hosnon]

6. I dunno...I think in Scenarion #2 he would probably resign. nt

[B Calm]

7. Are we talking about the Florida governor race?

[Dob Bole]

8. Maybe...not even sure this rumor is true yet nt