ID Theft

Is the great state of Texas turning BLUE ?

DALLAS - This conservative metropolis could become the nation's largest city to elect an openly gay mayor if a longtime city council member wins a runoff election later this month. Ed Oakley's candidacy is the latest indication that Dallas' reputation as a conservative stronghold is giving way to more diversity. The city is already home to several gay elected officials, including the sheriff. "Dallas is less and less the Dallas that people think it is," said Cal Jillson, a political science professor at Southern Methodist University. "And Dallas is less and less the Dallas that it used to be." In the mayoral race, Oakley and former construction company CEO Tom Leppert emerged from a crowded 11-candidate field that included another openly gay man and a transgendered woman. Oakley and Leppert will be the only candidates in the June 16 runoff. But if Oakley, 54, is on the edge of history, he doesn't talk about it. His sexuality hasn't figured prominently in the campaign. Oakley said his internal polling showed it had little impact on voters. "I have never made this an issue, a part of what I am or who I am or what I have done to represent the community," said Oakley, a small business owner. Dallas, with a population of 1.2 million, is home to a growing gay community with an estimated 120,000 lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgendered households. The city has nondiscrimination policies covering sexual orientation and gender identity and offers health insurance to the domestic partners of city employees, measures praised as progressive by local gay-rights activists. "I think some people don't realize that Dallas is very diverse: economically, ethnically, culturally," said Pete Webb, president of the Dallas Gay and Lesbian Alliance.

Public Comments

1. Good for Dallas, finally coming into the 21st century.
2. It's turning BROWN.
3. If the "dixie chicks" episode has taught us anything, is that texas is conservative.
4. If he does the job, who cares what he is. Having lived half my life in Dallas it is a city that is changing. All the residents truly want is good governance. If Oakley does a good job they don't care if he is gay or not.
5. Let's hope not. Texas has always been a patriotic and freedom loving state. It would be a real shame if it fell to the socialist traitors and degenerate people.
6. Texas has always been a Democratic state. It's where we get the name "Yellow Dog Democrat". It was said that Texans would vote for a "Yellow Dog" as lond as it had a "D" after it's name. But it votes most of the time for a conservative Democrat.
7. You asked if Texas is turning blue, then talk about the city of Dallas which is the least "Texas" of all major Texas cities. Dallas has about 4% or less of the state's total population and you seem to be projecting your values onto the enitre state - which it does not share! Nor would you be able to project those values onto the Dallas/Ft Worth Metroplex which has a population of 5 million plus. In conclusion, it appears as though you are doing a PR piece for the gay and lesbian community. -- and your 120,000 gays in Dallas? You made that figure up!
8. I don't know anything about a gay nor do I care if someone is elected in Texas is gay , just as long as their Democrats. Texas has had their stomach full of Bush, Tom Delay and all these nutty Texas Republican candidates, that crooked as the day is long.
9. No, is not becoming blue. It is always a red state, they can't be tolerant of gay people?