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Story Updated : July 21, 2010 04:18:00 PM

Victory Fund Didn't Offer Endorsement to Vanderpool


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A representative for the Victory Fund says reports are false that 25-year-old Kentucky state House candidate Matthew Vanderpool turned down an offer of funding and the group's endorsement.

"The Victory Fund does not offer endorsements, it's something someone has to apply for; even Barney Frank had to apply for his," Denis Dison, vice president of communications for Victory Fund, told The Advocate

According to reports, Vanderpool said he turned down an endorsement because he says while he is gay, he has no “gay agenda” and doesn't want to be in the fund's “back pocket.”

But Dison says those reports are wrong, and the group would likely never endorse Vanderpool.

"Endorsements are hard to get. [Vanderpool's statements] are nothing more than a stunt from a person who probably wouldn't have gotten one," Dison says. "You have to prove the validity of your campaign, which he has not."

In May, Vanderpool won the Democratic primary with just $150 in campaign donations. He is trying to oust the incumbent, antigay Republican state representative Stan Lee.

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Reader Comments
  • Name: Joseph
    Date posted: 7/22/2010 3:11:06 PM
    Hometown: Montgomery, AL

    Comment:

    How stupid are some of you folks? You have a GAY Democrat running against a GOP incumbent in a "RED" state. By pre-emptively announcing that he's "not accepting" an endorsement from an OUTSIDE gay group, Vanderpool has fired a shot against the very likely attack ads coming his way about how Vanderpool is going to "force the gay agenda" on Kentucky and its "conservative family values." I DO understand the Victory Fund's being a bit miffed at Vanderpool's comment, but the group should have just kept its mouth shut (or even played along). What real harm did Vanderpool do to the Victory Fund in making his comment?

  • Name: Loren
    Date posted: 7/22/2010 11:56:45 AM
    Hometown: Orlando

    Comment:

    I believe he is making the right move. Having been endorsed by us might make is seems his agenda is us. Just because he's gay doesn't mean is priority is us. He lives in Kentucky. We can't vote for him. So it's better to stay out of it.

  • Name: Daniel
    Date posted: 7/22/2010 12:57:21 AM
    Hometown: Louisville

    Comment:

    How big of a douche is this guy? He announces he's gay and that he doesn't want our support. So he just made his sexuality an issue and isn't going to benefit from that by relying on his community for help. Somebody please get him a campaign manager who understands politics.

  • Name: Jon
    Date posted: 7/21/2010 10:00:01 PM
    Hometown: Sacramento

    Comment:

    It isn't a reg flag. Don't overreact. It's not the same thing as self-hating.

  • Name: Liam
    Date posted: 7/21/2010 6:36:27 PM
    Hometown: Portland

    Comment:

    Its a big "red flag" when you have an openly GLBT politician who says that being a member of the GLBT community does not define them and that its the least important thing about their life. It's disturbing that we have already had gay male politicians who sell out the GLBT community for money and power. When someone sounds dismissive or apologetic about their sexual orientation it makes me trust them less not more.

  • Name: Dina
    Date posted: 7/21/2010 6:35:10 PM
    Hometown: GA

    Comment:

    Honestly, he probably made the right decision just based on how politics generally work and the fact that he is from KY. His comments were kind of ridiculous, but then again most politicians are ridiculous. The fact that he won the primaries with only $150 of campaign donations is pretty remarkable.

  • Name: Nathan
    Date posted: 7/21/2010 5:53:48 PM
    Hometown: Oakland Park

    Comment:

    Is he now willing to take money from other sources? Who's "back pocket" is he in?



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