We now know the winners of the Iowa caucuses; Ted Cruz and Hillary Clinton. A self-proclaimed conservative outsider and the ultimate progressive insider. So America has a choice, the LGBT community does not.
While the primaries are just beginning, I believe Iowa has actually chosen one eventual nominee and one that will flame out. Sure there may be a few bumps along the way for Clinton, like New Hampshire, but Cruz is highly unlikely to be the nominee of his party.
His Republican peers hate Ted Cruz. So as we move to the next few primaries, it will become evident that the Republican establishment will cast its lot with Sen. Marco Rubio. So that means as we go forward the Republican choice will be Donald Trump or Rubio. Neither of whom is a great supporter of LGBT rights. Just like what the Republicans have done over the last decade with a woman’s right to choose, Trump, Rubio or Cruz would take the same tack with LGBT rights; chip away on the margins to ultimately weaken our marriage and adoption rights.
The choice on the other side Secretary Hillary Clinton or Sen. Bernie Sanders could not be more contrasting. Both are completely supportive of full civil rights for LGBT people. As I say every time, then why do over 20 percent of LGBT people vote Republican?
Well we are off to the races, the race for the White House coupled with a race for demographic advantage. The Republicans are counting on white conservatives to deliver a Republican to the White House. But the demographics just don’t work.
The Republicans have offended Latinos, African Americans, women and LGBT people with a host of positions and statements taken by the Republican presidential field. Not a great way to build a coalition to take you to the White House.
If the choice is between Rubio and Trump, as I believe it ultimately will be, the Republican establishment will pick Rubio. Why? The Republicans think Rubio can peel off some of the Latino vote. Nothing could be farther from the truth.
Cubans are the arrogant cousin in the Latino family. Some believe that Cubans are a “special class” because they were treated differently with respect to immigration. A fact that Rubio’s family took advantage of to immigrate to America which Rubio seeks to deny to many Latinos that have come to America with the same dream as his parents.
So if you are pro-LGBT and pro-immigrant there is only one choice, the Democratic nominee. The odds favor a filly.
STAMPP CORBIN
PUBLISHER
San Diego LGBT Weekly
