The 2012 election for San Diego Mayor is shaping up to be an exciting race. For the first time in our city’s history, we will have the opportunity to elect an openly gay candidate.
I strongly encourage our community to embrace San Diego County District Attorney Bonnie Dumanis’ candidacy and acknowledge her outstanding contributions to the LGBT struggle in San Diego.
I have been in a unique position to see first-hand Bonnie’s commitment to our community and to issues like marriage equality. I urge others to join me in getting on board with Bonnie.
Bonnie Dumanis is the first openly gay District Attorney in the U.S. Her courageous candidacy and successful election shattered a glass ceiling. It made history and inspired the LGBT community nationwide.
During her campaigns, Bonnie was endorsed by the Victory Fund – four times. Their endorsement is significant because the Victory Fund carefully screens LGBT candidates and only supports those whom they deem worthy.
In addition, Bonnie has already won elections countywide, many times. The voters know her, are comfortable with her and like her. She is also no stranger to tough races.
In her role as District Attorney over the past eight years, Bonnie has established herself as a proven law enforcement leader, innovative chief executive and role model in the LGBT community.
Bonnie brought change to the state’s second-largest District Attorney’s Office which hadn’t seen a major reorganization for more than 30 years. By building consensus and trust among some 1,000 DA employees, she was able to unify them. Under her leadership, the District Attorney’s Office has consistently maintained a felony conviction rate of 94 percent. At the same time, she’s focused on support for victims of crime and programs that promote crime prevention.
The District Attorney’s Office has also worked to shine a light on violence in same-sex relationships. Her office partnered with the LGBT Center to prevent domestic violence in our community and has provided thousands of dollars in funding for domestic violence related programs.
A specific unit in her office is committed to the prosecution and prevention of hate crimes, led by a specially-designated Deputy DA. The District Attorney’s Office also recognizes the power and importance of diversity, encouraging careers in law enforcement through the Diversity Pipeline Project.
But her support of LGBT issues extends far beyond her role as the county’s top law enforcement official.
My dad and I were proud to stand next to Bonnie when she decided to hold a “No on Prop 8” news conference. Bonnie and her spouse Denise, along with former City Councilman Harry Mathis and his daughter, stood shoulder to shoulder with us as Bonnie gave an impassioned appeal for marriage equality. Bonnie felt strongly about the issue and knew how important it was to speak out at a time when others were not.
As the field takes shape in the race for San Diego Mayor, I hope you will evaluate the candidates on their proven merits and accurate histories. Bonnie’s history of leadership in the LGBT community is clear and was even recognized this year by the national magazine, The Advocate.
Whether you see her riding in the gay Pride parade every year with her mom and partner Denise (one year as Grand Marshall), standing alongside other LGBT elected officials at the Harvey Milk Breakfast or being recognized as a pioneer in the gay community by the Lambda Archives – Bonnie is consistently and openly on our side, working to make all of our lives better.
I know Bonnie will continue to support our community in the mayor’s office. Like my father, Mayor Jerry Sanders, Bonnie does the right thing for the right reasons. And like my dad, Bonnie makes those decisions regardless of her affiliation with any one group, party or platform.
Bonnie may not fit neatly into any one box. But that’s her strength, not her weakness.
Lisa Sanders is an LGBT advocate and the daughter of San Diego Mayor Jerry Sanders. The opinions expressed in this commentary do not necessarily reflect the views of the San Diego LGBT Weekly.
lets see, Lisa Sanders, daughter of corrupt mayor Jerry Sanders wants Dumanis for mayor. Well that about says it all. The special interests want Dumanis. I wonder why. Dumanis has done such a great job of messing up important murder prosecutions and protecting corrupt politicians like Sanders. remember the Kessler case? The FBI gave Dumanis stacks of files and said to prosecute. She ignored them and said the case was baseless. Dumanis is the only reason Sanders is not in prison. I guess thats why the Sanders clan is returning the favor.
Oh, that is very liberated and enlightened. Support Bonnie Dumanis because she is gay! Not that she deserves to be Mayor or even dog-catcher. But Bonnie is very good at sucking up to all the well-heeled downtown power-brokers and fat cats. Mayor Saunders should be ashamed to even be associated with the corrupt, unethical, morally dissolute D.A. who trots out the “gay” thing when it suits her politically and then otherwise puts it back in the closet. Lisa Sanders should go on some lesbian cruise with her wife and stay out of politics in San Diego. Her endorsement is tainted and worthlessly irrelevant!