Inga Taylor, a
lesbian from Wichita, Kan., lost the Democratic primary
for the state's 84th district house seat on Tuesday to a
woman who made a campaign issue of Taylor's
sexuality. Gail Finney, a marketing consultant who's
also the vice chair of the local Democratic Party,
wasn't as well funded or organized, according to the Gay and
Lesbian Victory Fund, which endorsed and financially
supported Taylor, a medical assistant. But in the
last days of the campaign, Finney and her supporters
took issue with Taylor's sexual orientation and her
ties to the "East Coast" -- the Victory Fund is based in
Washington, D.C. -- in a coordinated mail, e-mail, and phone
campaign.
In one e-mail the
Victory Fund posted to its blog on Wednesday, Finney
supporter Peggy Elliott writes that "Taylor considers it an
honor that if elected, she will be the 1st openly gay
African American Legislator in the United States. If
you will go to the www.victoryfund.com website, you
will see that they are excited about the same and
working strategically to ensure that this candidate wins the
election...Who would she be representing? Those that fund
her from the east coast or 84th District? Is this what
we want to be known for in Kansas? In Wichita?"
"What's the
matter with Kansas Democrats?" Victory Fund president
and CEO Chuck Wolfe said in a statement. "We plan for and
expect [that] openly gay candidates will face attacks
from right-wing bigots, not Democratic Party
officials. This is divisive, gutter politics at its
worst, and Gail Finney should be ashamed of herself."
"I wasn't running
on 'Hey, I'm gay,'" Taylor, who was bidding to become
Kansas's first openly gay state legislator -- and the first
African-American lesbian state legislator in the country --
told The WichitaEagle, adding that her campaign "always has
been about the issues."
In addition to
the Victory Fund, a state group called Kansas for a
Diverse Voice at the Table also contributed financially to
Taylor's campaign. Altogether, she had an edge over
Finney in donations of approximately $10,000,
according to the Eagle.
Since there's no
Republican opponent for the seat, Finney's victory means
she will be the district's next representative to the
statehouse. (The Advocate)
