Out Republicans Absent From State Legislatures

Almost 4,000 Republicans will serve in state legislatures come January, but none will be openly LGBT, marking the first time in years that out members of the GOP will be absent from state ranks.

The Gay and Lesbian Victory Fund reports on the development, which comes as Republicans made record state-level gains in the midterm election, racking up governorships and capturing nearly 680 legislative seats. The party controls legislatures in states including Maine, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Indiana, Michigan, Wisconsin, and Minnesota.

"Unfortunately, our endorsed GOP candidates for 2010 lost elections for state legislative positions in Nevada and Michigan, and the three sitting openly gay Republican state senators -- in California, Massachusetts, and Minnesota -- are leaving office at the end of this year," said James Dozier, deputy political director at the Victory Fund.

Out Democratic lawmakers predicted their work would be hindered without openly LGBT allies in the other party. In recent years bipartisan efforts in state legislatures have been the source of many important equality gains.