Time to elect gay mayor? Not for some LGBT voters

A mailer paid for by the Gay and Lesbian Victory Fund has been hitting LGBT voters' mailboxes in recent weeks calling on them to elect San Francisco's first out mayor.

The national group is backing former Supervisor Bevan Dufty in the race, one of two out candidates. The campaign piece features a quote from former Supervisor Harvey Milk, the city's first openly gay politician.

"We don't want sympathetic liberals, we want gays to represent gays," stated Milk.

The mailer goes on to state, "We have an opportunity to elect a qualified, experienced, out mayor. There has never been a more important time to elect one of us as the mayor of the gayest city in America."

Yet many LGBT voters disagree, and instead, are backing a number of the straight candidates in the race. While they would like to see an LGBT person one day occupy Room 200 at City Hall, they contend this is not the year to break that lavender glass ceiling in San Francisco's politics.

"Clearly, electing an LGBT mayor is important to many LGBT people. Certainly it is for me. But I think it is a more complicated issue than that," said gay District 9 Supervisor David Campos, who is supporting his colleague District 11 Supervisor John Avalos for mayor.

A candidate's sexual orientation is just one factor among many LGBT voters look for in determining who should become mayor, said Campos.

"I think it is not just about that. It is also there are many things that go into choosing a mayor," said Campos, who endorsed as his second choice in the race City Attorney Dennis Herrera after his commitment to fighting for marriage equality back in 2004 came under attack. "You want someone responsive to the needs of the community, that may also include LGBT allies who may not be members themselves of the community. It is not an easy thing to do. It is a difficult, difficult decision."

Some LGBT voters may determine how to mark their ballot with a desire to make LGBT political history. But not everyone steps into the voting booth with that goal in mind, and this year is no exception.

"The LGBT community is not monolithic. I think a lot of us support having LGBT elected officials. But we also make our choices on a specific race and a specific candidate," said District 8 Supervisor Scott Wiener, who is backing his former boss, Herrera, in the race as his top choice, Dufty as second, and interim Mayor Ed Lee third. "It is not surprising to me there is a diversity of thought on the mayor's race. I hear it everyday talking to constituents and other LGBT people about who they are supporting."

This is not the first mayoral race in the city to divide the LGBT community. As far back as 1995, when lesbian former Supervisor Roberta Achtenberg ran for mayor, LGBT voters have been faced with deciding if they should elect one of their own.

No matter who is in the race, the LGBT community's allegiance has never fallen lock step behind the out candidate. When gay Supervisor Tom Ammiano decided to take on Mayor Willie Brown as a write-in candidate in 1999, they both had significant LGBT support.

Four years later in 2003 LGBT voters were split again between Ammiano, out lesbian former Supervisor Susan Leal, then-Supervisor Gavin Newsom, and former Supervisor Matt Gonzalez.

Each time no one questioned whether an out person could be mayor, said gay Democratic leader Rafael Mandelman.

"In San Francisco we believed in 1995 and in 1999 and in 2003 that we could elect a gay mayor. We have been down this path with some pretty amazing people," he said. "I think it is super important, I think hugely important, for San Francisco to elect a queer mayor. But I think the reality is it is not going to be this year. There are many other things at stake in this election."

A poll conducted last month for the local news website Bay Citizen and the University of San Francisco found that only one in 10 gay and lesbian respondents said they would select Dufty as their first choice. Lee attracted the most LGBT support with 17.6 percent, with Avalos and Herrera both at 16.2 percent. But undecided also attracted 16.2 percent.

The poll results were based on telephone interviews of a random sample of 551 likely San Francisco voters between October 7-13. According to USF professor Corey Cook, 12 percent identified as gay or lesbian and another 1.5 percent said they were bisexual.

Cook said he was surprised by the polling results. Dufty's poor showing among LGBT voters may be due to a lack of media attention, said Cook.

"Whether the media creates it or not, I think the perception is he is not one of the major candidates," said Cook. "At the forums people tell me, 'I really like Bevan Dufty." He comes off very likeable. But when it comes time to vote, he ends up not getting people's choices."

Dufty dismissed the polling results as being based on too small a sample. He said he knew all along that he would not have a lock on LGBT votes.

"I feel a lot of support from people in the community. I never believed I would have universal support," he said.

As the race winds down to its last few days, Dufty said he is confident he will attract support from more LGBT voters as they focus on the race prior to casting their votes Tuesday.

"I recognize that as we draw closer to it more and more people from our community are embracing me and giving me encouragement and hope," said Dufty. "Whether at a BART station or one of the many places I am going, I am feeling a surge from people in the community and I am grateful."