Emanuel Wins Gay Endorsements

Rahm Emanuel, the front-runner in the Chicago mayoral race, has picked up a couple of big gay endorsements.

On Monday the national LGBT advocacy group Human Rights Campaign and the statewide Equality Illinois PAC both announced their endorsement of the former congressman and White House chief of staff to lead the nation's third-largest city.

"Rahm Emanuel has been a champion for equality throughout his career in public service," said HRC president Joe Solmonese in a press release. "His dedication to the LGBT community and his commitment to fairness for all Chicagoans makes him a stellar choice for mayor."

While Emanuel has been criticized by some LGBT activists, who held him responsible, as chief of staff, for the Obama administration's caution on gay issues, he also has substantial LGBT support, as evidenced by the endorsements.

HRC cited Emanuel's perfect record on its LGBT issues scorecard during his three terms in Congress, where he represented a district on the northwest side of Chicago; his advocacy of hospital visitation rights for same-sex partners, the subject of an executive order issued by President Obama last year; and his support for marriage equality.

The Equality Illinois PAC noted that all the major candidates in the race to replace retiring mayor Richard M. Daley support LGBT rights, but predicted that Emanuel would be a "transformative" mayor. He "has articulated a clear vision for the city of Chicago, in which lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people are fully included and involved in every level of governance," said PAC chair Art Johnston in a news release.

The nonpartisan election will be held next Tuesday, with a runoff April 5 if no candidate wins a majority.