Equality Fairfax

This interview was originally recorded in October 2009 for the House of Delegates District 41 race. Delegate Marsden won that race and now he is running for Senate District 37. This was Senator Cuccinelli’s district but he won election as Attorney General.

Delegate Marsden’s opponent is Stephen Hunt. Mr. Hunt did not return our telephone calls or respond to emails.

Delegate Marsden told us that his views are unchanged from October so we are bringing you that recording. Though it refers to the November election that recently took place, it is still applicable to this special election.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 7:53 — 6.7MB)

January 12, 2010
6:00 am	to	7:00 pm

This is a special election for the Senate seat currently held by KenCuccinelli. Senator Cuccinelli is vacating the seat because he was elected to be attorney general in the November election.

The candidates are:

• David Marsden (currently serving as Delegate of House District 41)
• Stephen Hunt (former Fairfax County school board member)

We are hoping each candidate will participate in a podcast to answer questions.

Senate District 37 runs from West Springfield in the southeast through Burke to Centreville and Chantilly. For a map of the district, look here.

June 9, 2009
6:00 am	to	7:00 pm

In addition, two Fairfax County districts have races to decide the Democratic candidate for delegate – the 35th and 38th districts.  The 35th district covers Vienna and part of Fairfax, while the 38th district covers parts of Falls Church, Annandale and Linconia.

Equality Fairfax sent a questionnaire to the candidates in these districts to ask them about their support of important GLBT issues. We’ve prepared a compilation of their opinions and comments to help you decide who best would represent you in your district – you can find it below.  Please make sure you vote!

Republican primaries were also called but no contests have resulted. Republicans will nominate their candidates for governor, lieutenant governor and attorney general at a party convention.

Questionaires

• 2009-democratic-primary-38th-responses
• 2009-democratic-primary-35th-responses2

With the election just one week away, it is critical that GLBT Virginians and our allies make sure our voice is heard at the polls. Most polls show us at 5%-7% of the electorate, so we have the numbers to swing a close election.  And, this year a number of the races on the ballot in Virginia are promising to be close! 

Your Election Day Checklist

• Know the Issues! Go to EV’s Election Center and read EV’s voter guide on presidential candidates McCain and Obama and candidates for U.S. Senate Warner and Gilmore.  Learn where they stand on the issues you care about.  Download the voter guide, email it to your friends, print it up and pass it around.

• Know where you vote and set aside time to do it! Find out where your polling place is and plan now how you’re going to get there on election day (Tuesday, November 4th) and when you are going to go.  You can check the location here.  Remember that turnout is expected to be heavy, and you’ll likely have to spend more time than usual at the polls.  The polls open at 6am and close at 7pm, and anyone who is in line at 7pm has the right to vote before the polls are closed.

• Know how to vote absentee and do it! If you are going to be out of town on election day, or otherwise qualify for an absentee ballot (you have long commute times, you are ill or disabled or caring for someone who is), the deadline to apply to vote absentee by mail then is 5pm, Tuesday, October 28th (today!!) and voted ballots submitted by mail must be received by the Electoral Board before the polls close on election day, November 4th.  You can apply to vote and vote absentee in person at your local registrar’s office through Saturday, November 1st, but you must check with your local registrar about times and arrangements to do so.

• Volunteer at the polls on election day!  Volunteer now to spend an hour or two with EV at the polls on election day.  You’ll be educating voters about the positions of the candidates on GLBT issues and signing folks up to support our initiative to end workplace discrimination.  This isn’t a partisan activity and anyone can participate!

• Encourage others to vote and to vote NO on anti-gay initiatives! If you have friends or family in California, Arizonaor Florida, call them today to ask them to be sure they vote and vote NO on the anti-gay “marriage amendments” that are on the ballots in those states this election day. 

• Pledge now to help end workplace discrimination in Virginia! Fill out our ONLINE petition.

• VOTE!

 We can make a difference. You can make a difference. Get involved, get active and get equal!

Thanks!

Dyana Mason
Executive Director

2008 Northern Virginia Voter’s Guide

to GLBT Issues

 Researched and Produced by:

Equality Prince William, Equality Fairfax, Equality Loudoun, Arlington Gay & Lesbian Alliance,

and Alexandria Gay & Lesbian Community Association

The organizations sponsoring this guide are non-profit in nature.  The information provided below is factual and does not imply endorsement by the organizations (unless stated).  It is provided to assist our members in conducting their own research.  It is our hope that it will aid members in arriving at meaningful, intelligent decisions, based on voting records and publicly stated positions on issues of import to the gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgendered and allied communities. Candidates are listed alphabetically according to office.

President

Senator John McCain (R-Arizona)

Human Rights Campaign Scores

2006 – 33

• Voted NO on Federal Marriage Amendment
• Declined to sponsor Hate Crimes Legislation adding sexual orientation to coverage

2004 – 25

• Voted NO on Federal Marriage Amendment
• Declined to sponsor Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA)

2002 – 17

• Voted NO on extending sexual orientation to Federal Hate Crimes Law
• Declined to sponsor Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA)

Other Votes

• 2000 – Voted YES on Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA), restricting Federal Government to only recognize opposite-sex gender marriages performed by the states.  Passed, 85-14.
• 1996 – Voted NO to pass Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA).  Bill failed in Senate, 49-50.
• 1993 – Voted YES to establish “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy.  Motion to strike language failed in Senate, 33-63

Stated positions

• Supports California Ballot measure to constitutionally ban same-sex marriage, 2008
• Believes that “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy is “working,” 2008
• Stated that while he could choose a Vice-President candidate who was pro-choice, could not choose one who is “pro-gay rights,” 2008

Endorsed by the Log Cabin Republicans by a 12-2 vote of their board of directors

Senator Barack Obama (D-Illinois)

Human Rights Campaign Scores

2006 – 89

• Voted NO on Federal Marriage Amendment
• Co-Sponsored Hate Crimes Legislation adding sexual orientation to coverage

Stated Positions

• Supports ending “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy in U.S. Military, allowing openly gay soldiers to serve, 2008
• Opposes California Ballot measure to constitutionally ban same-sex marriage, 2008
• Believes being gay is not a choice, 2007
• Co-Sponsored Legislation to extend Domestic Partner Benefits to Federal Employees, 2007
• Opposes same-sex marriage rights but supports civil unions, 2006, 2007
• Supports Repeal of Defense of Marriage Act that restricts Federal Government to only recognize opposite-sex gender marriages performed by the states, 2004

Endorsed by the National Stonewall Democrats

Endorsed by the Human Rights Campaign

 

Vice President

Senator Joe Biden (D-Delaware)

Human Rights Campaign Scores

2006 – 78

• Voted NO on Federal Marriage Amendment
• Co-Sponsored Hate Crimes Legislation adding sexual orientation to coverage

2004 – 63

• Voted NO on Federal Marriage Amendment
• Co-Sponsored Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA)

2002 – 100

• Voted YES on extending sexual orientation to Federal Hate Crimes Law
• Co-Sponsored Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA)

Other Votes

• 2000 – Voted YES on Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA), restricting Federal Government to only recognize opposite-sex gender marriages performed by the states.  Passed, 85-14
• 1996 – Voted YES to pass Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA).  Bill failed in Senate, 49-50
• 1993 – Opposed establishment of “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy.  Motion failed in Senate, 33-63

Stated positions

• Supports ending “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy in U.S. Military, allowing openly gay soldiers to serve, 2008
• Supports NO vote to Proposition 8 in California, which would constitutionally ban same-sex marriage after it was legalized in California this year, 2008
• Supports civil unions, declares same-sex marriage “inevitable,” 2007

• Believes that same-sex marriage is “probably inevitable,” 2003

Endorsed by the National Stonewall Democrats

Endorsed by the Human Rights Campaign
Governor Sarah Palin (R-Alaska)

No Human Rights Campaign Scores available (only scored for U.S. House and Senate)

Stated Positions

• Announced support for Federal Marriage Amendment (FMA) constitutionally banning same-sex marriage as part of the U.S. Constitution, 2008
• Believes being gay is “a choice,” 2008
• Disagreed with Alaskan Supreme Court decision to mandate domestic partner workplace benefits for state employees, 2007
• Opposes same-sex marriage rights, no stated position on civil unions, 2006
• Supported non-binding resolution to deny state health benefits to same-sex couples, 2006
• Opposes domestic partner benefits in Alaska, 2006
• Supported 1998 Alaska Constitutional Amendment to ban same-sex marriage, 2006

Endorsed by the Log Cabin Republicans by a 12-2 vote of their board of directors

 

United States Senate

Former Governor Jim Gilmore (R)

Stated Positions

• Proclaims support of Virginia’s Marshall-Newman Marriage Amendment barring recognition of same-sex couples through marriage, civil unions, domestic partnerships, or “other legal status to which is assigned the rights, benefits, obligations, qualities, or effects of marriage,” Campaign website, 2008
• Campaigned for constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriage in New Hampshire, 2007, more information, 2007

Former Governor Mark Warner (D)

Stated Positions

• Added sexual orientation to Virginia state government’s nondiscrimination policy by executive order, 2005, reflected on campaign website, 2008
• Opposed Virginia Marshall-Newman Marriage Amendment, 2006
• Attempted to weaken state law (HB751) which legislatively forbids recognition of same-sex marriages, civil unions, and domestic partnerships in Virginia.  Veto-overruled, 2004
• Signed bill permitting Virginia institutions to offer same-sex domestic partner benefits if they choose; Virginia had been the only state to bar this ability, 2004
• Supports extending Virginia’s hate crimes law to include sexual orientation, 2001

Endorsed by the Virginia Partisans Gay & Lesbian Democratic Club

United States House of Representatives

Not sure what district you’re in?  Click here and find out! 

10^th Congressional District

(portions Fairfax, Prince William, Loudoun, Frederick, Warren, Clarke Counties, cities of Winchester, Manassas and Manassas Park)

Judy Feder (D)

Stated Positions

• Opposed Virginia Marshall-Newman Marriage Amendment, 2006
• Discusses Marshall-Newman Marriage Amendment, 2006

Endorsed by the Virginia Partisans Gay & Lesbian Democratic Club, 2008

Endorsed by the Virginia Partisans Gay & Lesbian Democratic Club, 2006

Endorsed by the Human Rights Campaign, 2006

Rep. Frank Wolf (R-incumbent)

Human Rights Campaign Scores

2006 – 0

• Voted YES on Federal Marriage Amendment
• Voted NO to add sexual orientation to Federal hate crimes statues

2004 – 0

• Voted YES on Federal Marriage Amendment
• Co-Sponsored Federal Marriage Amendment
• Voted NO to add sexual orientation to Federal hate crime statues

2002 – 0

• Declined to co-sponsor Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA) which would prohibit discrimination based on sexual orientation in the workplace.
• Declined to adopt written policy in own office indicating sexual orientation not a hiring factor.

Other Votes

• 2007 – Voted NO to pass Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA) which would prohibit discrimination based on sexual orientation in the workplace.  Bill passed House 235-184, stalled in Senate.
• 1999 – Voted YES to bar District of Columbia from permitting same sex couples from adopting.  Bill amendment failed, 213-215.
• 1996 – Voted YES on Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA).  Bill passed, 342-67.

11^th Congressional District

(Fairfax and Prince William Counties, Fairfax City)

Fairfax County Chairman Gerry Connolly (D)

Endorsed by the Virginia Partisans Gay & Lesbian Democratic Club, 2008

Keith Fimian (R)

No information was available regarding this candidate’s position on GLBT issues.

8^th Congressional District

(Arlington and Fairfax Counties, cities of Alexandria and Falls Church)

Mark Ellmore (R)

Endorsed by the Virginia Log Cabin Republicans, 2008 – no link provided, VALCR does not mention the endorsement on their website.

Stated Positions

• Supported Marshall Newman Marriage Amendment, 2008.
• Opposes same-sex marriage but supports Civil Unions, 2008.

Rep. Jim Moran (D-incumbent)

Human Rights Campaign Scores

2006 – 100

• Voted NO on Federal Marriage Amendment
• Voted YES to add sexual orientation to Federal hate crimes statues

2004 – 100

• Voted NO on Federal Marriage Amendment
• Voted YES to add sexual orientation to Federal hate crime statues

2002 – 100

• Co-sponsor of Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA) which would prohibit discrimination based on sexual orientation in the workplace.
• Adopted written policy in own office indicating sexual orientation not a hiring factor.

Other Votes

• 2007 – Voted YES to pass Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA) which would prohibit discrimination based on sexual orientation in the workplace.  Bill passed House 235-184, stalled in Senate.
• 1999 – Voted NO to bar District of Columbia from permitting same sex couples from adopting.  Bill amendment failed, 213-215.
• 1996 – Voted NO on Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA).  Bill passed, 342-67.

Stated Positions

• Supports same-sex marriage rights, 2004
• Editorialized in favor of ending “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy of barring gays and lesbians from serving openly in the U.S. armed forces., 2005.

Endorsed by the Virginia Partisans Gay & Lesbian Democratic Club, 2008

Endorsed by the Human Rights Campaign, 2006

1^st Congressional District

(Prince William, Stafford, Spotsylvania Counties, Counties of the Northern and Middle Neck, extending down to Williamsburg)

Bill Day (D)

No information was available regarding this candidate’s position on GLBT issues.

Rep. Rob Wittman (R-incumbent)

Rep. Wittman took office in December 2007 after a special election.  As such the Human Rights Campaign has not yet ranked his voting record.

Other Votes

• 2007 – Voted YES to severely restrict Gay-Straight Alliances in public schools (as Virginia State Delegate).  Bill passed House 82-15, Failed in Senate.
• 2007 – Voted YES to pass hospital visitation rights bill (as Virginia State Delegate).  Bill passed House 100-0.  Delegate Wittman was a co-sponsor of this bill.
• 2006 – Voted YES to pass Virginia Marshall-Newman Marriage Amendment (as Virginia State Delegate) barring recognition of same-sex couples through marriage, civil unions, domestic partnerships, or “other legal status to which is assigned the rights, benefits, obligations, qualities, or effects of marriage.”  Passed 64-35, 74-20.

Stated Positions

• Signed statement that he will not discriminate based on sexual orientation in his office, 2007 (as Virginia State Delegate).

This podcast episode is an interview with Gerry Connolly, one of the candidates running for the 11th district U.S. House of Representatives seat.

We had hoped to do a candidate forum with Mr. Connolly and his opponent, Keith Fimian, but unfortunately, the Fimian campaign never responded to our inquiries. Should that change and Mr. Fimian sit down with us and record an interview, we’ll make that audio available on the website.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 22:50 — 22.4MB)

This year’s election has been quite the show at the Presidential level.  It seems everyone’s talking about it, and that the television, newspaper, and radio coverage of the elections has been concentrated on the race between Democrat Barack Obama and Republican John McCain.

However, there are several other significant races on the federal level that will be decided partly here in Fairfax County.

First, there is a US Senate race in Virginia between former Governors Democrat Mark Warner, and Republican Jim Gilmore.  This race has really flown under the radar, perhaps because it has not been considered terribly competitive.  Former Governor Mark Warner has been far ahead of former Governor Jim Gilmore in all the public polls, so that may reflect the lack of attention to this race.

Additionally, there are portions of three Congressional districts in Fairfax County.  The 8th District, including the Alexandria, Mount Vernon, and Franconia areas, as well as parts of Falls Church, McLean, Vienna, and Reston, are all included in the district.  The incumbent Congressman is Democrat Jim Moran.  His primary opponent is Mark Ellmore, the Republican.

In Virginia’s 10th District, incumbent Republican Frank Wolf appears to be facing another stiff challenge from DemocratJudy Feder.  There have been plenty of TV commercials already from both candidates, and folks in the McLean, Great Falls, Vienna, Herndon, Oak Hill, and Centreville areas will have a vote in this contest.

And finally, the 11th District, which includes most of Fairfax County, pits current Chairman of the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors, Democrat Gerry Connolly, against Republican businessman Keith Fimian.  This race has also garnered a fair amount of television and media coverage, and has also generated a fair amount of television commercials on local stations.

In the 11th District race, since most of the district is comprised of Fairfax County, Equality Fairfax was hoping to produce a candidate forum for members of our community to ask the candidates questions directly.  Both of these candidates can expect to see legislation in the next Congress on a number of important priorities to the GLBT community, and all voters deserve to know where all our candidates stand on those federal issues.  Unfortunately, despite multiple calls and emails requesting participation, the Fimian campaign never responded to our request.  Additionally, follow-up requests to simply interview Mr. Fimian for a podcast were also left unanswered.

However, we are pleased to announce the Equality Fairfax will be providing our members and interested press and community members a podcast interview with Congressional candidate Gerry Connolly.  Truthfully, we would like to be able to hold a similar discussion with candidate Keith Fimian, and ask him the same questions (as well as let him tell us why he’s running for Congress and what he sees as our nation’s most important issues).  However, we are not terribly optimistic about that happening.  Stay tuned for our podcast that should be posted later this evening.

Wherever you live in Fairfax County, take the time to get to know your local candidates, and their positions on issues affecting you.  Equality Fairfax hopes to bring you some information over the next week that should help you in your efforts.

See you at the polls on Tuesday, November 4th!

October 6, 2008

November 4, 2008
7:00 pm	to	11:00 pm

Join EF at Glory Days to watch the election results come in and enjoying a drink or dinner with friends. We’ll be there at 7pm when the polls close. Stop by and say hi or come for the evening!

Politically themed door prizes will be given out to some lucky winners!

Glory Days Grill

3059 Nutley St

Fairfax, VA 22031

It’s been an interesting few weeks in presidential politics for LGBT voters. 

Between Barack Obama’s pick of long-time LGBT ally Joe Biden as Vice-President, his historic speech at Denver’s Invesco Field last Thursday, followed by John McCain’s pick of recently elected Alaska Governor Sarah Palin as his Vice-Presidential running mate, there hasn’t been a dull moment.

The recent pick of Sarah Palin (Governor of Alaska) by John McCain has prompted a mixed chorus of concern from most LGBT rights activists because of Palin’s mixed record, which we shall address.

Barack Obama pledged in his nomination acceptance speech to work to prevent hardships and discrimnation against LGBT people, despite acknowledging a lack of consensus on the issue of marriage equality nationally.  Obama has stated that he does not support marriage equality, but that he does support fully inclusive non-discrimination laws and wants LGBT couples to be granted all the same legal rights, responsibilities, and priveleges as their heterosexual married counterparts.

Joe Biden, Obama’s VP choice, has been a long-time ally of LGBT people and equal rights under the law.  Biden has often been known to support equality with support for anti-discrimination bills, inclusive hate-crime bills, and the repeal of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policies for the military.  Although he has stated that he believes that marriage equality is “probably inevitable”, he did vote for the Defense of Marriage Act in the Senate in 1996 along with many other LGBT-supportive Democrats.

John McCain has been roundly criticized as a Presidential pick on LGBT rights issues by most advocacy organizations.  Senator McCain cast the deciding vote against the Employment Non-Discrimination Act in Congress, opposes most if not all relationship recognition and benefits, opposes adoption rights, and has not supported the repeal of the discriminatory Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell policies of the military.

Palin as a choice for VP may seem to have been targeted to peeling women away from the Democratic ticket who may be upset over the nomination of Obama instead of Hillary Clinton.  However,  a deeper examination of her record suggests that as a very conservative fundamentalist candidate for Governor in Alaska, her selection may have had more to do with shoring up the Christian Right behind McCain–perhaps an ominous signal for LGBT voters?

There have been claims that she was supportive of LGBT rights, because she vetoed a law that would have banned benefits for the partners of state workers in Alaska.  What is not revealed in some of these stories is that she did so only because the Alaska Supreme Court ruled that law would have been unconstitutional, and that she also stated that in principle she supports such a law.  She has long held positions against LGBT equality in Alaska and has answered that way in candidate questionnaires while running for Governor in 2006.

Nevertheless, the Log Cabin Republicans have endorsed the McCain-Palin ticket, calling McCain an “inclusive Republican” candidate, despite his lack of support for ending Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell, non-discrimination laws, inclusive hate-crime laws, or marriage equality.  The Log Cabin Republicans cite McCain’s opposition in the past to the federal marriage amendment, but did not mention his promise to support it in the future if state amendments fail to stop the spread of legal marriage for same-sex couples in many states.

Human Rights Campaign President Joe Solmonese, in response to the Log Cabin Republicans’ endorsement, stated that John McCain was “anything but” the maverick who would stand up to the Republican Party and it’s attempts to block equality for LGBT people in the United States.

Also, Palin’s church, it was disclosed today by Time Magazine, promotes the organization Love Won Out, a Focus on the Family group that proclaims it can “fix” LGBT persons’ sexual orientations by engaging in a practice referred to as “reparative therapy”.

Basically, the contest is shaping up to be a pretty clear contrast on issues directly affecting LGBT people between the Obama-Biden and McCain-Palin tickets.  Gay rights supporters who prioritize those issues will no doubt likely cast their votes with the Democratic ticket.  Of course, for some LGBT voters, equal rights are not their primary issues.  Some gay Republicans, as evidenced by the endorsement from the Log Cabin Republicans, will decide to support the McCain-Palin ticket because they may value issues other than LGBT rights and prioritize them in a way that would favor the Republican ticket.

Whatever you decide, it is imperative that the LGBT community cast its votes in 2008.  There will undoubtedly be more news to come before November 4th, 2008, so pay attention!