Lesbian Leads Houston Mayoral Hopefuls

Houston controller Annise Parker (pictured), who is a lesbian, enjoys a marginal lead among likely decided voters in the November mayoral election, according to a new poll by KHOU-TV Channel 11 and KUHF Houston Public Radio.

Parker, a Democrat who previously served on the city council for six years, led among the four main mayoral contenders with 13.2% of respondents saying they would vote for her. Her closest competitor, former city attorney Gene Locke, found support among 9.6% of respondents, within the margin of error of 4.5%.

Nonetheless, the most popular answer in the recent poll was "don't know," which garnered support among almost 68% of respondents.

Experts say the results indicate that the race to replace outgoing mayor Bill White remains wide open. White, a Democrat, is ineligible for reelection due to term limits.

Parker, 53, brings significant economic experience as controller, and 20 years of experience in the oil and gas industry. She and her life partner, Kathy Hubbard, have two children.

The Gay and Lesbian Victory Fund has endorsed Parker in the November 3 mayoral election.