Nation, take a look at what is happening with the U.S. Senate race here in Pennsylvania. It is a microcosm of what is happening both within the Republican Party and the LGBT community.
Republican Pat Toomey is like other Rs running for re-election with Donald Trump running at the top of the ticket. Here’s a fact that the mainstream media has not noticed: Toomey’s race against Democrat Katie McGinty will be close, maybe within one or two percentage points, and the LGBT vote is just as important as other voter segments. But Republicans do not know how to go after that vote, and at times they just give up. But guess what? They could get a piece of it; all you need to do is look at Ohio where pro-LGBT Republican Rob Portman is sailing along to what looks like a victory.
Here’s the answer to this Republican puzzle.
A 2013 New York Times piece referenced the GOP’s still-current policies of “alienation of minorities and reactionary social policies” after the party released its “autopsy” on the 2012 election.
In part that document said, “We looked at the last two election cycles and came to the conclusion that we lost from four to seven U.S. Senate seats not because of the party message, in those cases, but because of the party’s messenger.”
The LGBT community is not a monolith. There are LGBT Republicans and even libertarians and independents. But the reality is, according to recent elections, the LGBT vote goes mainly to Democrats since Democrats clearly and openly express their support for equality — and take that message directly to LGBT voters, in their homes, neighborhoods and media. What Republicans don’t get is that we are fighting for our equal rights, and for most LGBT people that is the number-one issue. How strong is that? Take a look at the voters guides by Pride Source in Michigan or in San Francisco’s Bay Area Reporter. It’s an informed and organized voting bloc.
Portman’s position and timing could not be more advantageous for re-election. By supporting LGBT issues a couple of years ago, he allowed his base to accept an issue that already was becoming a national trend. Therefore he started his current race with this one issue off the table and a chance to get at those LGBT non-Democrats.
Toomey, however, has expressed discomfort with LGBT equality, perhaps based on his belief that conservatives in Pennsylvania will not vote for him based on this one issue — though that belies the reality in Pennsylvania. Gov. Tom Wolf was elected statewide with his very-pro-LGBT-equality position.
A statewide race in Pennsylvania is won or lost in the five-county Philadelphia area, and that vote is staunchly supportive of LGBT equality. When you couple that with women’s-health issues and Trump’s racist, sexist language, that is a formula for a higher turnout on Election Day. These voters are sophisticated and could split their vote, but unlike Portman, Toomey just doesn’t appreciate the power of that LGBT vote.
Why should we as a community care about this race? Until we get Republicans to appreciate our community and treat us as they do other communities, we cannot win our equal rights in state legislatures and possibly the Equality Act at the federal level. It is in our interest to push and demand these candidates, even Republicans, visit our communities and see our issues and understand where we, like other communities, need a helping hand. That is what an election is about. They should also reach out to our media to talk to the voters. Until there is communication and engagement with these candidates, it hurts both them and us.
Toomey is one of those lost Republicans. In his six years as a U.S. Senator, he has almost ignored our issues. Once again, LGBT Republicans, Libertarians and Independents have no enthusiasm to vote his way. LGBT publications and community organizations want, and deserve, to hear from Republican candidates.