Aug 18, 2006  |  By: JOSHUA LYNSEN  | COMMENTS     

Marylanders will see a record number of openly gay, lesbian and transgender candidates on primary ballots Sept. 12.

Among the candidates seeking state office are three gay men, four lesbians and one transgender woman. Political observers said the number of gays seeking office is unprecedented in Maryland.

“I think it’s remarkable to see so many intelligent, overqualified and openly LGBT individuals seeking to contribute to our greater community as elected officials,” said Dan Furmansky, executive director of Equality Maryland. 

Gay candidates include Rich Madaleno, a delegate who is giving up his seat to run for the District 18 (Montgomery County) Senate seat, plus House incumbents Anne Kaiser in District 14 (Montgomery County) and Maggie McIntosh in District 43 (Baltimore).

Openly gay challengers include pastor and radio commentator Anthony McCarthy in District 44 (Baltimore), former Takoma Park Councilmember Heather Mizeur in District 20 (Montgomery County), restaurateur Tim Quinn in District 37 (Dorchester and Wicomico counties), and business professional Mary Washington in District 43 (Baltimore).

Dana Beyer, a retired doctor who is transgender, is running for Madaleno’s open House seat in District 18 (Montgomery County).

John Willis, a director of the University of Baltimore’s Public School of Affairs, said all candidates are strong contenders for their seats.

“All of those people have been involved,” he said. “They all have worked — whether it’s been in government or doing political things — they’ve been active in their communities.”

Madaleno, who faces no primary opposition, is expected to win the Senate seat. Kaiser and McIntosh are also heavily favored to retain their House seats.

Willis said the outcomes of other races are difficult to predict because multiple candidates are vying for multiple seats. No recent polls were available for those races.

Rick Bowers, chair of Defend Maryland Marriage and a Republican House candidate in District 13 (Howard County), said the record number of gay candidates was understandable.

“I’m not surprised,” Bowers said, “because the issues the Maryland legislature faces in the upcoming session largely revolve around concerns of their community.”

But he said that voters might perceive openly gay candidates as interested only in gay issues.

To combat that perception, Furmansky said candidates are running versatile campaigns that highlight education, health care and economic issues, among others.

“I don’t believe any one of these candidates is running because they want to focus on only LGBT issues,” he said. “They’re running because they’ve committed themselves to community service, and are hoping to make the state a better place.”

But the candidates said being known as a gay, lesbian or transgender candidate has its perks.

“People know we’ve kind of been battle tested in life,” Beyer said. “Once you’ve done a gender transition, you really don’t fear Republican hostility.”

All of the gay candidates for office are Democrats.

Substance, not sex

Candidates said their experiences show that Marylanders are more interested in substance than sex.

“Nobody talks about sex, or sexuality, or gender,” Beyer said. “This isn’t what voters are concerned about.”

McCarthy agreed. He was cautioned that campaigning in a predominantly black district as an openly gay man would be “a huge issue,” but found that not to be true.

“Speaking frankly,” he said, “in my district, it is not an advantage, [but] it’s been proven over the course of this campaign not to be a disadvantage.”

Madaleno, who in 2002 was the first openly gay Marylander to seek state office, said he’s heartened that gay candidates can be open on the campaign trail.

“The nice part is to see so many people who are running as openly gay people, as opposed to waiting until after an election to declare publicly their orientation,” he said. “I think it’s important to be honest with the voters, and with yourself.”

Madaleno said his sexual orientation, which drew much attention in 2002, is so rarely discussed now that some gay voters in his district don’t know they’re represented by a gay man.

“I’m surprised the number of gay people whose doors I knock on,” Madaleno said, “I introduce myself as ‘The gay guy who’s been representing you for the last four years,’ and they’re like, ‘Really? Wow.’”

Gay candidate assaulted

Despite increased acceptance, some candidates said being openly gay is problematic.

McCarthy said he’s received hate mail during the course of his campaign, and was recently attacked after leaving a community association meeting.

“I was approached by a gentleman who said he would never support a fag for the House of Delegates and he punched me in the face,” McCarthy said.

McCarthy said he was shocked by the attack, which he said occurred in late June, but shook it off and continued his campaign.

“All of this really ...