Local Pro and anti LGBTQ rights candidates

Kentucky U.S. Senate – Jack Conway(D) vs. Rand Paul(R) U.S. House (Congressional District 4) Geoff Davis(R) vs. John Waltz(D) KY State Senate – Katie Stine(R) vs. Smith-Morrow KY State House (District 67) – Thoney vs. Keene

Jack Conway (D) “Admiral Mullen had it right when he said to Congress that it’s wrong to ask someone to lie about who they are to defend their country…  I look forward to casting a vote to end Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.” [1] “[The fairness ordinance] has worked well in northern Kentucky and I would vote for [Employment Non-Discrimination Act] if elected to the US Senate.”[1] “Again, I abhor discrimination in all its forms.” [1] Conway explained in an April 1, 2010 primary debate that he believes marriage only occurs between a man and a woman. [2] Conway’s campaign manager has said: “He is not in favor of same sex marriages.” [3]

Rand Paul (R) Rand Paul supports “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” because he describes it as a nonfraternization policy. He has not commented on same sex marriage yet.

U.S. House District 4: Geoff Davis (R)  Voted NO on HR 1913 to “expand the definition of hate crimes [to include sexual orientation & gender identity] and strengthen enforcement of hate crime laws.” Withheld vote on HR 5136: Amendment 672 to “repeal, after military review and certification, the Department of Defense's policy of prohibiting individuals from serving in the armed forces if they engage in homosexual activity or have acknowledged that they are homosexual or bisexual ("Don't Ask, Don't Tell").” Voted YES on House Judicial Resolution 88 “to pass a joint resolution proposing a constitutional amendment providing that marriage in the U.S. consists only of the union of a man and a woman, and federal and state constitutions cannot be construed to require marriage or legal incidents of marriage be conferred in other unions.” Voted NO on HR 3685 “to amend the federal Civil Rights Act to prohibit employers from discriminating on the basis of actual or perceived sexual orientation.” Voted NO on HR 1592 to “amend the federal definition of a hate crime to include gender identity and sexual orientation.”

U.S. House District 4: John Waltz (D)   A liberal news blog claimed that Waltz “believes in equal rights for minorities, women, and GLBT,” and he agreed enough that he put it on his website.

KY State Senate – Katie Stine Her website states, “I Believe: That traditional family values are the foundation of a safe, productive and stable society.” Traditional family is political code for heterosexual. Voted YES on SB 112 to “limits public employee health insurance coverage to the employee, their spouse, and their family members.” Which would explicitly deny such coverage to same-sex partners & their children.   Voted YES on SCS SB 5 to “define "family member" as the employee's spouse, natural or adopted children, stepchildren, and children for whom legal guardianship has been awarded; require public agencies to allow the employee to select health insurance coverage for only the employee and family members of the employee.” Once again, to deny such coverage to same-sex partners & their children. Voted YES on SB 152 to “restricts health insurance coverage of state employees to the employee and their family members.” Again, to deny such coverage to same-sex partners & their children.

KY State Senate – Julie Smith-Morrow (D) Can’t find any information on this candidate’s views of LGBTQ equality.

KY State House District 67 - Roger Thoney (R)  Believes that marriage should only be between one man and one woman. Does NOT believe that KY should allow same-sex civil unions. SUPPORTS the inclusion of sexual orientation AND gender identity in anti-discrimination laws.

KY State House District 67 – Dennis Keene (D) No information on his views of LGBTQ rights.

Ohio Gubernatorial: Ted Strickland (D) [incumbent] vs. John Kasich U.S. Senate: Lee Fisher (D) vs. Rob Portman U.S. House District 1: Steve Driehaus(D) [incumbent] vs. Steve Chabot (R)

Ohio Gubernatorial – Ted Strickland (D) Prohibited discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity in state employment.  Provided tax benefits for the purchase of health insurance for same-sex partners Supported anti-discrimination legislation in the Ohio legislature, including the Equal Housing and Employment Act passed by the Ohio House of Representatives.

Ted Strickland (D) Continued Appointed Ohio’s first openly gay cabinet director, along with members to Ohio’s boards and commissions who openly identify as members of the LGBT community. Appointed Ohio’s first openly gay judges. Supported comprehensive sex education and rejected federal funds for abstinence-only education.  Voted YES on “Don’t Ask Don’t Tell” in 1993

Ted Strickland Continued Voted NO on the D.C.Domestic Partners Ordinance Voted No on banning funding for gay adoption in D.C. Did not vote on the Constitutional Amendment proposal to ban same sex marriage.

Ohio Gubernatorial – John Kasich (R) Kasich has supported anti-gay legislation as a previous congressman in the U.S House of Representatives. Voted against a resolution to allow the Secretary of Defense conduct a review of homosexuals in the military and report it to the President and Congress in 1993. Vote to adopt an amendment that bans the use of public funds to implement or enforce DC's Domestic Partners Ordinance in 1993.

John Kasich (R) Continued Voted YES on “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” in 1993 Voted YES on a repeal for unmarried individuals, regardless of gender, to register as domestic partners, allowing them to be eligible for D.C. government health care in 1995.  Voted NO on an amendment to suspend the federal definition of marriage contained in the bill when a state, through normal democratic procedures, establishes a different definition in 1996.

John Kasich (R) Continued Voted YES on the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA), which defines a marriage as a legal union between one man and one woman as husband and wife in 1996. Voted YES on an amendment that would ban federal funding in the District of Columbia for couples who want to adopt a child but are not related by blood or marriage in 1999.

Ohio U.S. Senate – Lee Fisher (D) In 2009, Lee spoke out in favor of federal hate crime legislation, known as The Matthew Shepard Act Supports FULL MARIAGE EQUALITY Supports the repeal of “Don‘t Ask, Don’t Tell” Supports adoption rights for same sex couples. campaigned against the amendment to the Ohio Constitution that denied marriage equality

Lee Fisher (D) Continued As a member of the U.S. Senate, he would oppose any attempt to amend the U.S. Constitution to discriminate against or deny rights to any group of people. Supports the Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA) and believes our anti-discrimination employment laws should be expanded to include sexual orientation and gender identity.

Ohio U.S. Senate – Rob Portman (R) Has supported anti-gay legislation as a previous congressman in the U.S House of Representatives. Voted against a resolution to allow the Secretary of Defense conduct a review of homosexuals in the military and report it to the President and Congress in 1993. Vote to adopt an amendment that bans the use of public funds to implement or enforce DC's Domestic Partners Ordinance in 1993.

Rob Portman (R) Continued Voted YES on “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” in 1993 Voted YES on a repeal for unmarried individuals, regardless of gender, to register as domestic partners, allowing them to be eligible for D.C. government health care in 1995.  Voted NO on an amendment to suspend the federal definition of marriage contained in the bill when a state, through normal democratic procedures, establishes a different definition in 1996.

Rob Portman (R) Continued Voted YES on the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA), which defines a marriage as a legal union between one man and one woman as husband and wife in 1996. Voted YES on an amendment that would ban federal funding in the District of Columbia for couples who want to adopt a child but are not related by blood or marriage in 1999.

Ohio U.S. House District 1 – Steve Driehaus (D) Voted YES on the Matthew Shepard Act in 2009 Voted YES on a repeal of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” in 2010 Does NOT support same sex marriage or civil unions.

Ohio U.S. House District 1 – Steve Chabot (R) Voted against equal rights when he was a Representative. Voted YES on a repeal for unmarried individuals, regardless of gender, to register as domestic partners, allowing them to be eligible for D.C. government health care in 1995.  Voted NO on the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 1997, which had an amendment that calls for the immediate discharge of any military personnel who is discovered to be HIV positive, unless they had 15 years of credible service. 1996

Steve Chabot (R) Continued Voted YES on the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) in 1996. Voted YES on an amendment that would ban federal funding in the District of Columbia for couples who want to adopt a child but are not related by blood or marriage in 1999. Voted YES on a failed Constitutional amendment that would completely ban same sex marriage in the U.S in 2006.

Steve Chabot (R) Continued Voted NO on the Matthew Shepard Act in 2007 Voted NO on the Employment Nondiscrimination Act in 2007.

Sources Jack Conway: Votesmart.org. Campaign website: www.JackConway.org Rand Paul: http://dissentingjustice.blogspot.com/2010/05/rand-paul-on-gay-rights-and-persons.html. Votesmart.org. Campaign website: www.randpaul2010.com Geoff Davis: Votesmart.org. Campaign website: http://geoffdavis.house.gov/

Sources Continued John Waltz: Votesmart.org. Campaign website: http://www.johnwaltz.com/ Katie Stine: Votesmart.org. Campaign website: http://www.katiestine.com/ Julie Smith-Morrow: Campaign website: http://www.electjulie.com/ Roger Thoney: Votesmart.org. Campaign website: http://www.rogerthoney.com/default.aspx

Sources Continued Dennis Keene: http://www.denniskeene.com/ Ted Strickland: Votesmart.org. Campaign website: http://www.tedstrickland.com/ John Kasich: Votesmart.org. Ontheissues.org. Campaign website http://www.kasichforohio.com. Lee Fisher: http://www.fisherforohio.com/home

Sources Continued Rob Portman: Votesmart.org. Campaign website: www.robportman.com Steve Driehaus: Votesmart.org. Ontheissues.org. Campaign website: http://driehaus.house.gov/ Steve Chabot: Votesmart.org. Ontheissues.org. Campaign website: http://www.stevechabot.com/