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HOUSTON – Houston became the largest U.S. city to elect an openly gay mayor, with voters handing a solid victory to City Controller Annise Parker after a hotly contested runoff.

Parker defeated former city attorney Gene Locke with 53.6 percent of the vote Saturday in a race that had a turnout of only 16.5 percent.

"This election has changed the world for the gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgendered community. Just as it is about transforming the lives of all Houstonians for the better, and that's what my administration will be about," Parker told supporters after Locke conceded defeat.

Parker, 53, has never made a secret or an issue of her sexual orientation. But it became the focus of the race after anti-gay activists and conservative religious groups endorsed Locke and sent out mailers condemning Parker's "homosexual behavior."

Story Link: Houston biggest US city to elect openly gay mayor - Yahoo! News

Jazzy;1272627 wrote: HOUSTON – Houston became the largest U.S. city to elect an openly gay mayor, with voters handing a solid victory to City Controller Annise Parker after a hotly contested runoff.

Parker defeated former city attorney Gene Locke with 53.6 percent of the vote Saturday in a race that had a turnout of only 16.5 percent.

"This election has changed the world for the gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgendered community. Just as it is about transforming the lives of all Houstonians for the better, and that's what my administration will be about," Parker told supporters after Locke conceded defeat.

Parker, 53, has never made a secret or an issue of her sexual orientation. But it became the focus of the race after anti-gay activists and conservative religious groups endorsed Locke and sent out mailers condemning Parker's "homosexual behavior."

Story Link: Houston biggest US city to elect openly gay mayor - Yahoo! News


Does this mean that ordinary Americans don;t see homosexuality as an issue worth getting riled up about despite what the right wing suggest?

gmc;1272638 wrote: Does this mean that ordinary Americans don;t see homosexuality as an issue worth getting riled up about despite what the right wing suggest?Not quite. The fact that the headline reads as it does instead of "Huston elects new Mayor", shows some people can't stay from it. Enough so for news agencies to sell programing using those lines.

Not sure why I should even care since she won with 53.6 percent of the vote

Will we ever see the day when a person's sexual orientation, or race, or sex, not even be an issue in choosing a political candidate? Just wondering.

along-for-the-ride;1272696 wrote: Will we ever see the day when a person's sexual orientation, or race, or sex, not even be an issue in choosing a political candidate? Just wondering.
Not as long as certain segments of society can profit off it.

along-for-the-ride;1272696 wrote: Will we ever see the day when a person's sexual orientation, or race, or sex, not even be an issue in choosing a political candidate? Just wondering.


Yes, somewhere around the year 2135.:-2