Primary results a mixed bag for LGBT community

The Sept. 16 Democratic primaries were a mixed bag for the LGBT community, yielding some major wins but also some losses, including the defeat of a pro-marriage equality incumbent state representative by an anti-gay challenger.

The biggest win of the night was the re-election of Medford/Somerville Rep. Carl Sciortino, who was forced to run a sticker campaign to hold onto his 34th Middlesex District seat. Sciortino, an openly gay lawmaker who has been a strong advocate for marriage equality and transgender rights, defeated challenger Bob Trane, a Somerville Alderman, with a massive 400-person volunteer operation that made sure voters got to the polls sticker in hand.

Sciortino received a hero's welcome when he arrived at his victory party at Sabur restaurant in Somerville after the polls closed, as hundreds of volunteers crowded around him. He compared the victory to his first win in 2004, when he unexpectedly defeated former state representative Vincent Ciampa, a 16-year incumbent and opponent of marriage equality.

"You know, when I ran four years ago I was told it couldn't be done. And when I started this campaign this year I was told you can't win on stickers," said Sciortino. "We proved the naysayers wrong four years ago, and we proved the naysayers wrong again today, and that is because of one simple fact: the voters and families in Medford and Somerville have yet again rejected the campaign tactics of divisiveness and negativity and said yes to the four years of accomplishment that we've had in the last four years."

Throughout the campaign Trane attacked Sciortino as being too indebted to special interests and rapped him for the large number of donations he received from people outside the district. While Sciortino had a sizable number of donations from out of the district, he also received more donations from within the district than Trane.

As Bay Windows went to press the exact margin of victory in the 34th Middlesex race was still unclear. Election officials have been conducting a hand count of all of the stickered ballots, delaying the results. Trane called Sciortino to concede around 9 p.m. on primary night after unofficial results showed that there were more write-in and sticker ballots than votes for Trane.

Sciortino ran a massive get-out-the-vote operation, which proved crucial in a sticker campaign in a low-turnout primary. In the months leading up to the election, Sciortino and campaign volunteers pounded the pavement, not only making the case for his re-election but also passing out stickers with Sciortino's name and explaining the mechanics of voting with a sticker. On primary day, an army of 400 volunteers staffed each of the polling places in the district, holding signs and passing out stickers. For instance, at the Ward 7, Precinct 1 polls, located in a Tufts administration building outside of Davis Square in Somerville, the campaign had more than a dozen volunteers stationed at every possible approach to the building. MassEquality, which had made Sciortino's race one of its top two priorities for the primary, placed two of its field organizers on site at that precinct to organize volunteers throughout the day and make sure they had a steady supply of stickers.

"Really the job is to get [the supporters identified by the campaign] out to the polls today and make sure they knew how to vote for Carl the right way," said Ryan Brown, one of the MassEquality field organizers coordinating the effort at the Tufts location.

Marc Solomon, executive director of MassEquality, credited Sciortino with mobilizing an effective volunteer network to orchestrate the sticker campaign.

"We had an army of volunteers that's second to none. I've never seen an army of volunteers like what we collectively put together," said Solomon. "It's a testament to Carl. He's a leader in the community and he's a leader on LGBT equality and he's becoming a national leader on equal rights, and it's a testament to him and what he stands for and what he's done."

Holly Ryan, president of the board of the Massachusetts Transgender Political Coalition (MTPC), said Sciortino's victory was also a win for the transgender community. Sciortino made history this legislative session by sponsoring House Bill 1722, the first statewide transgender rights legislation in the state's history. The bill, which would add trans-inclusive language to the state's non-discrimination and hate crimes laws, died in committee this session, but Ryan said she is excited that Sciortino will have the chance to refile the bill next year.

"I'm very happy for the transgender people in Massachusetts, that Carl, who championed our cause, took this cause on, is going to be around to file again in January when we move forward, and hopefully we'll get this thing passed in '09," said Ryan, who spent the afternoon handing out stickers and holding signs at the polls at the Mystic Activity Center in Somerville. During his victory speech Sciortino called passing the bill was one of his top priorities, along with education reform and extending the Green Line into Medford and Somerville.

MassEquality: Wilkerson's loss 'a stinging defeat'

MassEquality's other top priority in the primary was re-electing state Sen. Dianne Wilkerson (D-Boston), who lost to challenger Sonia Chang-Diaz by a razor-thin one-percent margin. Wilkerson has been one of the LGBT community's staunchest allies on Beacon Hill, and this year she won applause from LGBT advocates for leading the charge in the Senate to defeat the 1913 law, which prevented most out-of-state same-sex couples from marrying in Massachusetts, and for helping secure funding for LGBT and HIV/AIDS programs in the state budget. Chang-Diaz shared Wilkerson's progressive politics, and the campaign came down largely to a debate on Wilkerson's history of high-profile ethical and legal missteps, including a recent $10,000 settlement Wilkerson reached with the Attorney General Martha Coakley's office over campaign finance violations.

The evening of the primary Wilkerson conceded defeat to her supporters at a post-election party at Roxbury's Hen House Wings 'N' Waffles restaurant. During her speech she reflected on her 15 years of advocacy for her district's different communities, including the LGBT community.

"To the LGBT community," said Wilkerson, "I pray that you will find as aggressive and steadfast an advocate as I believe that I was."

Among those in attendance at the post-election party were two LGBT community leaders who had publicly endorsed Wilkerson, AIDS Action executive director Rebecca Haag and her partner, communications consultant Mary Breslauer. Haag said Wilkerson was a champion of HIV/AIDS causes within the Senate.

"Categorically speaking, no one has done more for HIV/AIDS," said Haag. "We had other allies ... but she was the leader."

Solomon called Wilkerson's loss a "stinging defeat."

"I personally am really sad about it. I was at her campaign headquarters and I gave Dianne a hug and thanked her for everything she's done for our community," said Solomon. "The first bill she ever introduced was a domestic partnership bill. And I'm really sad about it."

He said MassEquality pulled out all the stops to help Wilkerson get re-elected. The organization sent out 40,000 pieces of mail, including issue-advocacy mailings throughout the district and endorsement mailings to MassEquality's members. MassEquality called its members in the district to urge them to support Wilkerson, and Solomon said about 75 percent of their members in the district indicated they were solid supporters of Wilkerson. The organization also held a fundraiser for Wilkerson, and in the run-up to the primary Solomon and other high-profile LGBT community leaders, including Rep. Liz Malia and Dale Mitchell of the LGBT Aging Project, went door-to-door canvassing for Wilkerson in Jamaica Plain.

MassEquality was one of several LGBT organizations that endorsed Wilkerson, including the Massachusetts Gay and Lesbian Political Caucus, Bay State Stonewall Democrats, the Gay and Lesbian Labor Activists Network (GALLAN), and DotOUT. Solomon said the only major LGBT institution that endorsed Chang Diaz was Bay Windows.

"We really pulled out every stop we could think of, and there's no question in my mind that the gay community strongly supported Dianne Wilkerson," said Solomon.

On LGBT issues Chang-Diaz's positions match Wilkerson's, and she also has a track record of supporting LGBT rights, having worked as the civil rights point person in openly gay former state senator Cheryl Jacques's office and having volunteered with MassEquality. Solomon said MassEquality would work closely with her on LGBT issues, but he said Wilkerson's defeat is a setback.

"We've lost some clout and leadership in the State House, no question about it. Will we do everything we can to rebuild it? Absolutely. Does Sonia Chang-Diaz have the right positions on the issues? She does, and we will work closely with her," said Solomon.

Anti-equality contingent gets a win

Another primary day loss was the defeat of Woburn state Rep. Patrick Natale, who supported marriage equality, by challenger James Dwyer. Although LGBT rights was not a central issue in the campaign, Dwyer opposed same-sex marriage and said during the campaign that he would have voted in support of a constitutional amendment to ban same-sex marriage. According to campaign finance reports filed with the Office of Campaign and Political Finance (OCPF) Dwyer received more than $2000 from anti-gay advocates and supporters, including donations from the anti-gay Massachusetts Independent PAC for Working Families (MIPAC/WF), from Massachusetts Family Institute (MFI) president Kris Mineau, and from Thomas Shields, president of the Coalition for Marriage and Family. MassEquality sent out two mailings in support of Natale.

Natale's defeat marks the first time since MassEquality began its electoral work in 2004 that an anti-gay opponent has unseated a pro-equality challenger. MassEquality's winning streak helped convince some wavering lawmakers to vote in favor of marriage equality, knowing that MassEquality had a track record of protecting vulnerable incumbents. Solomon said given the size of the pro-equality contingent in the legislature -- which has grown from a minority of lawmakers to more than three quarters of the legislature -- it was just a matter of time before MassEquality's winning streak was broken. He said he doubted it would hinder their ability to rally lawmakers on LGBT issues.

"I don't want to overstate the record, but Joe DiMaggio's hit streak was broken. ... These records can't go on forever. And not to put our record in the same vein as those, but it was something that was eventually going to be broken," said Solomon. "I don't think anybody would look to that race and say Patrick Natale lost because he voted for gay marriage."

Mixed bag

But there were other big primary election wins for MarssEquality. Pro-equality incumbents Steven Stat Smith (D-Everett) and Pam Richardson (D-Framingham) both fended off credible primary challenges, and MassEquality helped both of those campaigns by doing polling in the district. Smith defeated Wayne Matewsky, who had received sizable endorsements from MIPAC/WF and anti-gay activists like Shields. Richardson won against two primary challengers, including openly gay candidate Dawn Harkness, who criticized Richardson for not being sufficiently outspoken on marriage equality. Harkness did not receive any major organizational LGBT endorsements.

Another major win was pro-equality state Rep. Jennifer Flanagan's successful bid to replace retiring state Sen. Robert Antonioni (D-Leominster). Flanagan's opponent, Brian Knuuttila, is a former state representative who strongly opposed marriage equality.

There were also some pro-LGBT wins in primary races where MassEquality did not endorse. Gloucester state Rep. Tony Verga, a longtime opponent of marriage equality, lost a three-way primary to Ann-Margaret Ferrante, who supports equal marriage rights. Carolyn Stewart, a spokesperson for Ferrante's campaign, said that LGBT issues rarely came up during the campaign, but Ferrante's pro-LGBT stance, as well as her pro-choice stance, helped win her the endorsement of the Massachusetts Women's Political Caucus.

"[The marriage issue] did come up in one debate where she was able to make her position clear. She has been absolutely forthright about it," said Stewart. There is no Republican challenger for the seat in November, making the primary the deciding contest.

Kate Hogan came one step closer to becoming the next openly gay member of the legislature, winning the three-way Democratic primary to replace retiring Stow state Rep. Pat Walrath. Hogan, who won Walrath's endorsement and raised more money than either of the other candidates, said she is gearing up for a tough general election contest with Republican nominee Sonny Parente.

"We're one of the targeted districts. The Republicans have targeted out district, and what that means is money gets poured into the district for my Republican opponent. But money doesn't win you an election," said Hogan. "We're ready for a fight, and we're ready to campaign really hard."

Hogan and her primary opponents all supported marriage equality, and MassEquality declined to endorse in that race. Solomon said going into November MassEquality would reach out to both Republican and Democratic candidates and make additional endorsements. He said it was too soon to say whether MassEquality would endorse Hogan, but that he was excited about her candidacy.

Solomon said he was also gearing up to support Democrat Sara Orozco's general election campaign to unseat Needham state Sen. Scott Brown (R), a longtime opponent of LGBT rights. Orozco, who is openly gay, has been endorsed by MassEquality.

"I would love to see Kate Hogan in the State House. I also think Sara Orozco's campaign stands a real chance of defeating Scott Brown. That's a very viable race. We'd love to see an addition of a couple lesbian legislators," said Solomon.

With the exception of Wilkerson's defeat he feels positive about the results of the primaries.

"It was a very good day with one stinging defeat," said Solomon.

Challenges await in General Election

Going into November Solomon said the LGBT community will face additional challenges. Among the organization's top priorities is working to re-elect Reps. Geraldo Alicea (D-Charlton), Paul Kujawski (D-Webster), and Richard Ross (R-Wrentham), lawmakers who switched their votes in 2007 to help defeat a constitutional amendment to ban same-sex marriage, who all face challengers in the general election.

"All in all I'd say the verdict isn't in yet. We have the opportunity, we've stepped things up so we will have a strong supermajority come November, but it's going to be tough," said Solomon.