Gays "betrayed" by Democratic candidate in Georgia

By coming out in support of a constitutional ban on same-sex marriage, congressional candidate John Barrow has outraged gay rights activists who say the Democrat has flip-flopped after courting gay votes during the primary. Before and immediately after the July 20 Democratic primary, Barrow said in debates and interviews that, as a Baptist, he personally opposed same-sex marriage but opposed amending the U.S. Constitution to ban it. But the Athens attorney's campaign manager, Roman Levit, now says Barrow supports a Senate version of the amendment. Levit says Barrow opposed an earlier version in the House that also would prohibit domestic-partner benefits for same-sex couples. In Georgia's 12th congressional district, which snakes from Athens to Savannah, anger has spread among gay activists who supported Barrow in his hotly contested race against freshman Republican representative Max Burns. "This is a classic bait-and-switch," said Kevin Clark, director of the Savannah chapter of gay rights group Georgia Equality. "I feel betrayed, and I am angry." For Clark, an early supporter of Barrow's, and other Georgia gay activists, gay marriage will be a hot-button topic at the polls in November, when Georgians will vote on a statewide constitutional ban. "Discrimination in the law against folks on the basis of sexual orientation is wrong, and it ought to stop," Barrow said during a televised debate July 16. "At the same time, I am opposed to amending the federal or state constitution in the manner proposed." Campaign manager Levit said Wednesday that he believes Barrow was referring to an earlier House version of the marriage amendment, not the Senate version that Barrow now supports. "He has not changed his position on this issue," Levit said. "Obviously he's made it much clearer what his position is. And his position is that he supports something that says, point blank, that marriage is between a man and a woman." Either way, Barrow's explanation could hurt more than help, said Merle Black, a political science professor at Emory University. Democratic gay voters might skip over his race on Election Day. And if he's perceived as switching positions, Barrow opens himself to questions of trustworthiness. "It's a no-win issue for Barrow because of the way he's handling it," Black said. "It gives an opportunity for Burns to come back and say this guy's flip-flopped...and can you trust him in the future?" As a cosponsor of a House-proposed gay marriage ban, Burns is unlikely to pick up much gay support. And some activists don't want to judge Barrow too quickly. "There are a lot of people disappointed and downright upset," said Annette Hatton of Athens, who chairs a support group for gay and lesbian employees of the University of Georgia. "But we need to meet with him before we can make any kind of decision." Bobby Jeffery, organizer of this weekend's Savannah Pride Festival, said he's already rescinded an invitation for Barrow to speak at the gay pride event. The Democrat campaigned there last year. "There will be political ramifications," Jeffery said. On Election Day, "when I get to the 12th district race, I might just skip over it. Or I might write in somebody."