Politics:
Presidential Candidates Court Gay Voters
As the presidential election draws closer, Senators John McCain and Barack Obama are shoring up their bases while courting voters of all backgrounds
By Noah C. Zuss

Over the last four decades as the gay rights movement has grown stronger, it has also become more politically visible and valuable as a reliable voting block.

Daniel Dromm, the openly gay Jackson Heights Democratic District Leader and possible 2009 City Council candidate reached by telephone said this group is growing and becoming increasingly politically visible.

"In 1993 when I started the parade in Jackson Heights there was about 10,000 people that came. This year we expect almost 30,000 and as the numbers grew so did the politicians at the event. They recognize this group is politically active and want to show their support."

Elected officials marching in this year's parade include Queens Assemblyman Jose Peralta (D-Jackson Heights). He applauds the borough's Democratic leadership in recognizing the changing demographics. Named a grand marshal for the annual parade on June 1, Peralta is showing his support for this community by marching.

On the local level many elected officials like Peralta do support equal rights for the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community.

At the national level it can be rare.

However, in this election there has been a departure from the past. As the movement has grown, all viable presidential candidates seeking nomination have courted gay voters.

Sen. John McCain, long a conservative maverick, uncomfortable with stodgy Republicanism has taken many unpopular positions on social issues, but not on gay rights until recently.

During a pre-recorded May 22nd appearance on "The Ellen DeGeneres Show" McCain debated gay marriage with the openly-gay host and touched on issues important to the LGBT community.

On the show McCain repeated his position that while he opposes gay marriage, he believes same-sex couples should be allowed to enter into legal agreements for insurance and other purposes. Instead of backing equal marriage rights for same-sex couples, Senator McCain favors civil unions instead, a position many of his Republican colleagues still do not feel comfortable expressing.

Though a die-hard Sen. Hillary Clinton supporter Dromm is quite aware of the changing climate on the topic of equal rights for same-sex couples.

"The movement is only 40 years old and has grown so much. I have seen so many changes I couldn't even imagine," Dromm said. "On Ellen he said he supports civil unions - that's newsworthy in itself that a politician comes out and supports civil unions."

Even the liberal Sen. Barack Obama opposes gay marriage. But he does however support civil unions and gay equality.

In general Dromm feels politicians are courting gay voters like never before.

"Absolutely, even McCain's acknowledgement of civil unions shows the fact that these are visible issues and a valuable asset to a campaign. The gay vote is a constituency that cannot be ignored."

Some estimates put the percentage of gay and lesbian Americans at 5 to 10 percent of the overall population, and 8 to 12 percent of the voting population.

Obama is the young, liberal presidential candidate in this election and will certainly stake political ground to the left of Sen. McCain. He has earned high marks from non-profit and advocacy groups because of his work and voting record.

In the Illinois Senate Obama was known as a liberal who was not afraid to build bridges across party lines during his term in the State Senate Capitol. He gained a 100 percent rating from Planned Parenthood for his support of family planning and abortion rights legislation. Obama also supported gay rights during his time in the State Senate. He sponsored legislation in Illinois that would ban discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation.

In the United States Senate, Obama scored 89 out of 100 on the 2006 scorecard issued every two years by the Human Rights Campaign, the largest national gay and lesbian organization in the country. The group releases a scorecard for members of the Senate based on their sponsorship and voting on key issues of importance to gay and lesbian citizens.