In a surprising move, the Republican Party of San Diego County endorsed openly gay Councilmember Carl DeMaio in his race to succeed termed out Republican Mayor Jerry Sanders. Two thirds of the 59-member central committee voted Saturday morning to endorse DeMaio over two other Republican candidates: District Attorney Bonnie Dumanis, and State Assemblyman Nathan Fletcher.
Before the endorsement battle, the DeMaio campaign circulated a 14-page document to members of the Republican central committee questioning Fletcher’s “conservatism.” DeMaio’s campaign manager, Ryan Clumpner also directly took issue with Fletcher’s failing grade by the California Republican Assembly and the Capitol Research Family Institute. Both conservative groups gave Fletcher failing grades for supporting LGBT-related legislation, including his vote in favor of a resolution by the California State Legislature in support of the repeal of the military’s discriminatory “Don’t Ask Don’t Tell” policy and his support of Senate Bill 48, the FAIR education act, which mandates that the contributions of the LGBT community be taught in public schools.
The DeMaio campaign’s assault on Fletcher’s record is especially significant given the fact that DeMaio is openly gay and has professed support of LGBT rights.
Since 2008, DeMaio has been criticized on numerous occasions by members of the LGBT community for his silence during the fight against Proposition 8 and his lackluster support of other initiatives of interest to the LGBT Community. Doug Case, President of San Diego Democrats for Equality told LGBT Weekly “Carl DeMaio has never been a leader when it comes to LGBT equality, nor has he demonstrated courage in publicly challenging the anti-gay positions of some of the people who are helping to fund his campaign. Silence is the voice of complicity.”
DeMaio has also been criticized for not attending events of significance to the LGBT community. In September of last year DeMaio opted to go to a fundraiser for his campaign as opposed to attending a rally celebrating the Repeal of “Don’t Ask Don’t Tell.” DeMaio, in a tweet to his followers, said he was looking forward to attending, but he was a no-show.
To many, DeMaio was also noticeably missing from a rally celebrating the 9th Circuit ruling that Proposition 8 was unconstitutional. DeMaio’s lack of attendance at any of the Imperial Court events celebrating their 40th anniversary and the Gay and Lesbian Victory Fund Brunch was also widely criticized by LGBT community leaders. Each of the other candidates for mayor were participants.
The endorsement, while a significant victory for the DeMaio campaign, is not necessarily an indicator for an inevitable victory. In 2005 the Republican Party of San Diego County endorsed Steve Francis over Jerry Sanders for mayor of San Diego. Jerry Sanders went on to win the primary and was ultimately elected. With this victory however, DeMaio will now focus on defeating what he says are his real opponents telling the popular conservative Republican blog, sdrostra.com, “My real opponents are government employee unions and powerful downtown interests … ”
San Diego LGBT Weekly reached out to both the DeMaio campaign and Nathan Fletcher for Mayor 2012. We are awaiting comment from each camp.
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(Disclosure: Will Rodriguez-Kennedy is a supporter of Nathan Fletcher for Mayor and a former independent contractor for Reforming City Hall with Carl DeMaio.)
Carl DeMaio will do what he has always done, duck and hide. I remember when he promised to do an interview with the former Gay & Lesbian Times, both DeMaio and Todd Gloria were asked to participate and share their experiences of the first six months in office and agreed. Todd Gloria followed through, however DeMaio flaked on the day of the interview.
In the article Todd’s photo accompanied his interview, for DeMaio they placed a silhouette and stamped it Carl DeMaio NO SHOW!
Cool! Corks are flying over at Filner’s.
I’ll never forget DeMaio pulling one opponents campaign sign down. See below.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GldXiJMTbY0
Carl is a smart guy with an ethical problem. Does San Diego really want to go there again?
“My real opponents are . . . powerful downtown interests” obviously doesn’t mean developers. Who are they talking about?
He is someone who would have the support of 40-50 year-old’s who still troll airport or college restrooms; he is someone who would be an apologist for George Rekers; he is a throw-back to the 1960’s when open;y gays had their place – in jail or a sanatorium.
I am a gay male. I cannot support Carl DeMaio. What I am ver pleased to announce is Nathan is much more of a promising alternative to these in-and- out-and-back-in the closet Republicans.
Carl Demaio broke the mission statement of the The San Diego Pride Pardae and should not be allowed to walk in the parade this year. http://sdpride.org/mission.htm
*** DO NOT ALLOW CARL DEMAIO IN SD PRIDE PARADE!!!!
(1) The title of this article is misleading in that the article doesn’t actually say DeMaio criticized Fletcher’s support of LGBT rights. It says DeMaio “circulated a 14-page document to members of the Republican central committee questioning Fletcher’s ‘conservatism.'” It doesn’t say that the the document referenced LGBT issues at all. It says Fletcher got a poor score from two conservative groups.
(2) I dislike how people (DeMaio, Dumanis or anyone) are criticized for not wrapping the LGBT flag around them when they run for office. I think it’s a great strategy to campaign on things that actually affect EVERYONE versus focusing on begin a “leader” for gay rights. The former will get you into office. The latter won’t and then you can’t help anyone since you lost the election.