HRC PAC seeks help defeating rabidly anti-equality senate candidate, George Allen

In our effort to remain as close to the “center” of neutrality in local politics (and national politics to a lesser degree) as possible, LGBT Weekly passes on publishing announcements about campaign fundraisers. If we didn’t, our readers and visitors to this Web site would have seen hundreds of such announcements at this point in the campaign season. Believe us when we say, our email inboxes are inundated by pleas for and invitations to all manner of $X-a-plate dinners, mixers and special-guest-candidate shindigs.

With that said, there is no concealing our pro-LGBT–equality advocacy role. Occasionally, the importance of a race pushes into our collective consciousness at a level that demands action.  Enter the race against George Allen, candidate for U.S. Senate in Virginia, who (as HRC PAC puts it), “has made opposition to LGBT rights a cornerstone of his political career.”

(-Ed.)

The following is from a campaign plea issued by Human Rights Campaign Political Action Committee:

When (George Allen) was Governor, he called same-sex relationships “unnatural” and “illegal,” and trumpeted the state’s anti-equality Crimes Against Nature law.

But wait, there’s more.

Allen also touts his support of the Defense of Marriage Act and a constitutional amendment banning gay marriage on his website – and he’s voted against including sexual orientation in hate crime laws.

He wouldn’t even adopt a voluntary policy of non-discrimination for his own office. We absolutely cannot afford to let this guy get elected to the U.S. Senate.

The single most important FEC deadline of the year is MIDNIGHT TONIGHT. Make an urgent gift now to support Allen’s opponent, Gov. Tim Kaine, for the U.S. Senate!

Jonathan, the Senate race in Virginia is a clear choice – let a man like George Allen walk into the U.S. Senate and rail against equality, or help elect Tim Kaine, a committed ally.

Kaine has endorsed the Employment Non-Discrimination Act and supported repeal of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” and the hate crimes bill.

Unfortunately, Kaine isn’t alone in his fight against anti-LGBT zealots like Allen. From Hawaii to Rhode Island, anti-equality candidates are just itching for a chance to reverse our progress.

I’m calling on you to step up right now and support Tim Kaine and these other pro-equality candidates before tonight’s deadline:

• Rep. Chris Murphy is a loyal ally of the LGBT community, but faces Linda McMahon in his U.S. Senate race, who has already spent over $61 million of her personal fortune on the campaign. She doesn’t support the state’s marriage law or any pro-equality legislation including the repeal of DOMA. In this close of a race, we can’t let McMahon buy herself a Senate seat.
• Rep. Tammy Baldwin could be America’s first openly gay senator. She’s rallied support around hate crimes legislation, the Employment Non-Discrimination Act, and the push to extend benefits to the partners of LGBT federal employees. She’s facing a staunch conservative in a close open seat race – and I don’t need to remind you that her winning would be an incredible pro-equality victory.
• Former state Rep. and state Sen. Kyrsten Sinema has been the Arizona legislature’s strongest proponent of LGBT equality. She led the way to securing domestic partnership benefits, and in 2006 she co-chaired the first and only successful campaign to block a ballot measure banning marriage equality. Sinema, who is bisexual, would be a strong voice in congress.
• Sean Patrick Maloney has years of experience and passion fighting for equality, and is looking to unseat Rep. Nan Hayworth in New York this November. Maloney is openly gay, endorsed by President Bill Clinton, and would be a strong proponent for LGBT rights in Congress; his opponent refuses to publicly support marriage equality. Help put Sean in Congress today!
• Rep. Mazie Hirono has earned a perfect 100% on HRC’s scorecard every year of her career. But now she’s is locked in a tight race for Senate in Hawaii against former Governor Linda Lingle, who opposes marriage rights and even VETOED the state’s civil unions law in 2010, comparing same-sex marriage to incest – help the U.S. Senate gain a strong voice for equality today.

We’re just 37 days away from Election Day, and tonight’s fundraising deadline couldn’t be more critical. The final push to put pro-equality candidates over the edge at the ballot box begins now.

The FEC deadline is midnight tonight – chip in and make sure pro-LGBT candidates win up and down the ballot on November 6!

Thanks for all your support this election season.