It’s only six months until the Nov. 6 midterm election. For the LGBTQ community the future of our rights is at stake. Throughout the country, under the guise of “religious freedom” laws, marriage equality and the transgender population are being attacked. Oklahoma just passed a law allowing discrimination against same-sex couples seeking to adopt. In Washington, the regime continues its campaign against transgender persons in the military while appointing conservative judges whose animus towards LGBTQ rights is among their qualifications. Locally, under Gov. Scott “Wississippi” Walker, transgender people have been targeted.
Wisconsin’s senate race is getting national attention. Opposing incumbent Sen. Tammy Baldwin is a pair of Republicans. Former Democrat turned Republican Kevin Nicholson has been endorsed by the Great America PAC and conservative Richard Uihlein. However, at its recent conference, by a 73% to 27% margin, the Wisconsin GOP endorsed state Sen. Leah Vukmir. A virulent homophobe with an extensive record against LGBTQ equality, reproductive rights, education, voting rights and health care equality, Vukmir has been criticized for featuring a campaign ad with Tammy Baldwin depicted as a terrorist. Even a fellow Republican thought the imagery went too far. But that’s to be expected. Both candidates are trying to out-conservative each other, invoking border walls and right-wing extremism that will certainly dog-whistle Baldwin as a lesbian.
Meanwhile, there are already 17 opposition candidates in the gubernatorial race. A Trans MKE member posted her text conversation she had with Libertarian Phil Anderson. When she asked him about conversion therapy, he knew nothing about it. After a short explanation, he called it “barbaric.” Fine. Just remember, Anderson was the 2016 congressional candidate who divided the vote and helped defeat the Democrat, Russ Feingold.
The field of 16 Democratic gubernatorial hopefuls implies a healthy engagement. However, it’s time to thin out the herd. Among the top contenders are Madison Mayor Paul Soglin; state Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Evers; and state Sen. Kathleen Vinehout. Retired attorney and former Wisconsin Democratic Party chair Matt Flynn is also running. Flynn’s unfortunate claim to fame is his role representing the Archdiocese of Milwaukee against victims in the sex abuse scandal.
Elsewhere, the national LGBTQ civil rights organization, the Human Rights Campaign has endorsed the Josh Kaul who is running against Republican Attorney General Brad Schimel. Schimel recently attended a religious liberty summit (and was paid $4,000 to speak there) held by the Alliance Defending Freedom, an organization classified by the Southern Poverty Law Center as a extremist hate group seeking to criminalize homosexuality.
For Wisconsin’s LGBTQ voters, choices should be clear.
