Petrelis Files

Death of Gay Identity Politics:
Leno v Migden Debate on Nov 17

Today's debate between incumbent State Sen. Carole Migden and her challenger Assemblymember Mark Leno, scheduled at 3:00 pm at the State Building on Golden Gate Avenue, signifies the end of gay identity politics.

For the past two decades the gay political rule book mandated that only one candidate would run for a given office, and that the community had to be united that person. Another rule barred one gay politician from seeking a gay incumbent's seat.

As with too many races in San Francisco, a one-party town, we've also seen competing candidates, lively debates and proposals for improving the city are denied to voters because Democratic Party machine bosses prefer to determine whose turn it is to run for office and scare off any serious competitors.

The editor at the alternative news site BeyondChron.com acutely captures what that has meant for Sen. Migden:

Migden backers argue that Leno’s candidacy is destructive because it diverts financial and activist resources away from battling Republicans. In other words, Democrats should not challenge incumbent Democrats, particularly when the incumbent votes progressively on core issues.

What’s interesting about this argument is that it coincides with the longtime defense of the fabled Brown-Burton machine. The machine avoided nasty fights among Democrats by deciding who would run in certain races, and where resources would go in others.

Ironically, one of the biggest beneficiaries of a San Francisco Democratic Party political machine long scorned by the Bay Guardian and other progressives has been Carole Migden. Since leaving the Board of Supervisors in 1996, Migden has won a string of uncontested races for the Assembly, State Board of Equalization, and the State Senate.

For more than a decade Migden has not been challenged at the ballot box, and all the democrat trappings that come with a contested race -- debates, press scrutiny of incumbent's record, voters having a choice of more than one person to vote for -- have been left dormant. That is not healthy for a vibrant and open democracy.

Since Leno threw his hat into the ring months ago, breaking so many local and state Democratic Party machine rules, not to mention upending how progressive and gay politics play out, he's been a welcomed maverick to the race for the district three seat in the state senate, at least by voters like myself, people who want feisty debates and no more political coronations.

As local gay Democrats have wrangled with Leno's candidacy and Migden supporters have trashed him for running, while his backers questioned her imperial ways, all voters have examined their records and operating styles, something that wouldn't be happening if business as usual were ruling the day.

To my Green Party eyes, this race represents a true breakthrough for Democrats, progressives, and independent or Green voters, in that a competitive race is happening. But the much bigger monumental shift the Leno versus Migden race represents is in the gay community, which is witnessing the death of gay identity politics.

Giving voters a choice of two very capable and intelligent candidates, who just happen to be gay and Democratic, allows gays to enter a phase of political maturity in which we move away from Soviet-style elections and one-choice ballots.

And the hand-wringing by party machine hacks loyal to Migden about divisions in the supposedly otherwise united community isn't playing well like it used to.

The community, if you can call it that, of gay voters has never been monolithic in San Francisco, and anytime you hear a gay Democrat attempt to scare off a political challenger with the charge that she or he is dividing us, you can be sure that's a sign the current officeholder is nervous about reelection.

From the BAR last month:

Former club president Jeff Sheehy lashed out at Leno for what he considers to be a "grudge match" against Migden. His comment that Leno is at fault for causing division in the community was met with loud boos.

"This race is going to divide this community and it is going to divide this club," he said after admonishing those who disrupted him. "It is disgraceful we are even having this race."

No, no, no! This is no disgrace at all. It's a blossoming of a better democracy and way of electing candidates in San Francisco. Get used to it and support competitive elections!

The Milk Club release on the debate:

When: Saturday, November 17, 3:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m.

Where: The State Building, Milton Marks Auditoreum, 455 Goldengate Ave. (between Larkin & Polk)

Who: Belva Davis, Moderator; Candidate: Senator Carole Migden, Assemblyman Mark Leno, Police Commissioner Joe Alioto Veronese

What: The Harvey Milk Club is pleased to host a debate on Saturday, November 17th between candidates for the 2008 California state senate race in District 3. The debate will be moderated by award-winning journalist Belva Davis. This election is of special interest to San Francisco’s LGBT community because two of our leading LGBT elected officials, Mark Leno and incumbent Carole Migden, are both running, and the community would like to see an LGBT candidate win. We are fortunate to have two such strong LGBT candidates running. Other candidates participating in the debate include Joe Alioto Veronese.

District 3 covers the eastern half of San Francisco, all of Marin County, and much of southern Sonoma County. The Harvey Milk LGBT Democratic Club has not yet endorsed any of the candidates. The debate is an excellent opportunity for the Club and the public to learn more about the candidates and where they stand on the issues important to our community.