Ohio Gets First Openly Gay Lawmaker

The independent candidate who was to be the sole opponent to Nickie Antonio in her state house race has withdrawn, assuring her election as Ohio's first openly gay lawmaker.

Antonio is still expected to stand for election this fall, but her name will be the only one to appear on the ballot for this seat.

Last week Antonio told a reporter she would be proud to be the state's first gay lawmaker, but that's not why she ran.

"Hopefully, once the first [openly gay] thing is done, there doesn't need to be so much of a focus on that. How to best fix a hole in the budget -- that's not an issue where sexual orientation makes a difference."