columnists

Pride PAC Endorses

Sean Kosofsky

Originally printed 7/10/2008 (Issue 1628 - Between The Lines News)

All Politics is Loco

It's that time of year again - time for Triangle Pride PAC's primary election slate. First, I am supposed to remind you that primary election day is August 5th and that if you want to vote absentee you can print your absentee ballot request form online at http://www.michigan.gov/vote. Then volunteer for Triangle Pride PAC on election day by contacting Sean@tri.org.

Most of you know that most of the elections we care about are actually determined in the primary. Only a handful of races are actually competitive in November, so the goal is to elect progressive, pro-LGBT politicians in the primary. More than ever we need everyone to vote this August 5th.

Federal Races:

Two of the hottest races in the country are in Michigan. In Congressional District (CD) 9, longtime LGBT supporter Gary Peters (D) is running against Joe Knollenberg. Please support him by going to http://www.PetersforCongress.com. Peters does not have a primary, but he does need early support. The other hot race is for CD 7 (Battle Creek/Jackson). Progressive Democrat Mark Schauer is running against right wing Congressman Tim Walberg. Pride PAC has given Schauer a strong endorsement. You can find out more about this important race at http://www.MarkSchauer.com. Schauer does have a primary.

For Congress, Pride PAC has endorsed every incumbent Democrat. The only one with a primary election, however is in CD 13: Carolyn Cheeks Kilpatrick (Grosse Pointes/East Detroit).

State House of Representatives (Primary races only):

In rare circumstances we have endorsed in the Republican and Democratic primaries (sometimes in the same seat). Candidates in bold are Republicans. Candidates in italics were only recommended and not endorsed.

Detroit: House District (HD) 1: Tim Bledsoe (Grosse Pointes), HD 2: Lamar Lemmons, Jr. (Detroit), HD 3: Bettie Cook Scott (Detroit), HD 4: Coleman Young II (Detroit), HD 5: Bert Johnson (Detroit), HD 6: Fred Durhal (Detroit), HD 7: Lee Gaddies (Detroit), HD 8: George Cushingberry, Jr. (Detroit), HD 10: Gabe Leland (Detroit), HD 11: Gary Pollard (Detroit).

Metro Suburbs: HD 14: Patrick O'Connell (Allen Park/Lincoln Park), HD15: Gino Polidori (Dearborn), HD 17: Andy Dillon (Redford), HD 22: ITAL Don Lingerfelt (Taylor), HD 23: Deb Kennedy (Gibralter/Grosse Ile/Southgate/Rockwood/Brownstown), HD 24: Sarah Roberts (St. Clair Shores), HD 26: Marie Donigan (Royal Oak/Madison Hts.), HD 27: Ellen Cogen Lipton (Ferndale/Oak Park/Huntington Woods/Pleasant Ridge/Berkley), HD 29: Tim Melton (Pontiac/Auburn Hills), HD 35: Vincent Gregory (Southfield), HD 36: Greg Moore (Shelby Twp./Romeo), HD 39: Lisa Brown (W. Bloomfield/Commerce), HD 40: Annette Keeble & Julie Candler (Birmingham), HD 45: Theodore Golden (Rochester Hills), HD 46: John Bingham, Jr. (Holly/Lake Orion),

Non-Metro Races: HD 34: Woodrow Stanley (Flint), HD 49: Lee Gonzales (Flint), HD 50: Ted Hammon (Burton/Flushing/Davison), HD 51: Michael Thorp (Grand Blanc/Fenton), HD 54: Alma Wheeler Smith (Ypsilanti), HD 60: Robert Jones (Kalamazoo), HD 68 Joan Bauer (Lansing), HD 82: Bernard Jocuns (Lapeer/North Branch), HD 98: L. Garnet Lewis (Rural Saginaw/Midland).

For up-to-date endorsements, maps and our questionnaires, visit http://www.TrianglePridePAC.org.