One of the main questions for candidates running for the legislature in Massachusetts these days, is where do they stand on marriage equality? The answers have more than a passing urgency. Next Fall, the legislature sitting as a constitutional convention, will vote on whether to send a proposed constitutional amendment to the voters for ratification. The amendment would ban same sex marriage but endorse civil unions -- and overturn the decision of the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court that legalized same-sex civil marriages for the first time in the United States. It is not an exaggeration to say that next Fall, the eyes of the nation -- and the world -- will once again be on the Massachusetts state legislature.
Meanwhile, the races to fill the three current vacancies for state representative could affect the outcome of what is expected to be a close vote on the amendment.
Two organizations on opposite sides of the issue have now made their choices known in two of the three special elections.
MassEquality, a coalition of local and national organizations dedicated to defending marriage equality endorsed
Linda Dorcena Forry in the 12th Suffolk District race to replace former House Speaker
Tom Finneran (D-Mattapan); and
Tim Schofield in the 18th Suffolk District contest to replace Rep.
Brian Golden (D-Brighton). In each case this means MassEquality promises to mobilize its members and contribute to the campaigns.
"Each of these races offers a real opportunity to pick up a pro-equality voice in the Legislature and to replace a strongly anti-gay legislator," said Mass Equality's PAC Treasurer Sue Hyde of Cambridge. "We are extremely fortunate to have a number of candidates who stand for equality, but we chose to weigh in in the Suffolk County races because those races also feature candidates who would support discrimination. We could not sit by and watch one of them get elected."
MassEquality PAC chose not to endorse in the 3rd Berkshire race to replace Rep. Peter Larkin (D-Pittsfield) because all three Democratic candidates, as well as the leading Republican, have promised to vote against the amendment.
Candidates for office generally welcome any support they can get. But there are some organizations whose endorsements most candidates would rather do without. One organization that might make the beneficiaries of thier support uneasy, is the virulently antigay, Waltham-based Article 8 Alliance -- which has just announced it's favored candidates in two of the three races:
In 18th Suffolk District, the Alliance reported that "while Rep. Golden will be missed, Gregory Glennon, a former aide to Golden, is top-notch. He gets our full support." In the 12th Suffolk District, "our favorite is Kerby Roberson."
Like MassEquality, the Article 8 Alliance did not announce support for anyone in the 3rd Berkshire race. "This is a tough one," the Alliance complained. "Three candidates are running in the Democratic primary, and two in the Republican. We've heard they all range from squishy to bad. We're still doing research on it. We may have to play defense in this race, if you know what we mean."
It is not clear what, if anything, the Alliance is prepared to do in these races. However if past is prologue, the Alliance could bring an ugliness to what have so far, been civil contests.
The Alliance, (a project of the rightist Parents' Rights Coalition) first came to public attention via a nasty statewide campaign to oust the majority of the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court that legalized same sex marriage in the Goodridge decision. The Alliance derives its name from article eight of the Massachusetts state constitution, which it cites in its effort to remove the Goodridge judges.
The Alliance was widely condemned last year when it waged a vicious smear campaign against Carl Sciortino, who was running against then-State Representative Vincent Ciampa (D-Somerville) in the Democratic primary. One of the group's main tactics was the publication of a bizarre tract which was dropped off at every home in the district. The screed was titled: "A Special Report on the Homosexual Lobby's Secret Campaign to Install a Homosexual Anti-Catholic Extremist in the State Legislature."
Sciortino a young, unassuming, openly gay, health care worker staged a dramatic upset in the Democratic primary against Ciampa, a State House veteran, who was an ally of then-House Speaker Tom Finneran, as well as the Article 8 Alliance. Boston Globe columnist Eileen McNamara, noted at the time: "In a joint statement... state Democratic Party chairman Philip W. Johnston, Somerville Mayor Joseph A. Curtatone, and state Senator Jarrett T. Barrios described themselves as 'sickened by the outrageous and vulgar claims made by the Article 8 Alliance.' Would that Ciampa had done the same."
Ciampa ran a sore loser write-in campaign in the general election and lost by almost two-to-one. The repudiation of anti-gay bigotry by the electorate was, in my view, a turning point in state politics.
Come what may, the voters in these special elections will have the opportunity and the honor to stride across the world stage and into the voting booth -- to elect candidates who will make them proud when the whole world is watching next Fall. Indications are, they are going to do it.
The Democratic Primary for these overwhelmingly Democratic districts is March 15th.
[Crossposted from FrederickClarkson.com ]
Candidate's debate for the 18th Suffolk District Thursday, February 17, 2005 at 7:30 PM. Brookline Town Hall, Selectmen's Room, 6th Floor, 333 Washington Street, Brookline. For more information, contact Cindy Rowe, Brookline Democratic Town Committee Chair, at 617-277-6282.