A Gay Speaker for Calif. Assembly?

Los Angeles Democratic assemblyman John Perez appears poised to become the first openly gay leader of the state legislative body.

According to the San Francisco Chronicle, Perez has secured the 41 votes required by his Democratic colleagues to be elected to the leadership position. The freshman lawmaker's backers include outgoing speaker Karen Bass, but other contenders remain interested in the job.

"It may not be that easy, however," reported the Chronicle. "Two other Latino Los Angeles Democrats -- Kevin de Leon and Felipe Fuentes -- had been vying for the leadership position. Fuentes ultimately threw his support behind Perez, but de Leon, who secured the support of the Assembly's Latino Caucus on Wednesday, "'is still a candidate for speaker,' said his chief of staff, Daniel Reeves."

The Democratic caucus will vote on the speaker next week.

Perez, a former union organizer, is the cousin of Los Angeles mayor Antonio Villaraigosa.