And the pic scares me!
Prior to a game between the Boston Red Sox and Toronto Blue Jays an actor playing Chewbacca throws out the ceremonial first pitch at Fenway Park, Boston, September 28, 2005 file photo. A Chewbacca impersonator was arrested after being accused of head-butting a Hollywood tour guide who warned the furry brown Wookiee about harassing two Japanese tourists, police said on Saturday. (Adam Hunger/Reuters)
Black Tie Dynasty is blinging out according to their latest bulletin with this pic. Just cracks me up that they are doing so with six whole bucks! I’ll be there tonight. Maybe they need a tip jar for some more bona fide blinging.
Can’t say this news really surprises me. I mean, he is, as far as I know, the only openly gay candidate in the mayor’s race. So who else would the fund endorse? Although they did endorse Sheriff Lupe Valdez as well and look how well she’s done.
Victory Fund Endorses Dallas Mayoral Candidate
01.25.07
The Gay & Lesbian Victory Fund has announced it is endorsing Ed Oakley, a Democrat, in his race to become the next mayor of Dallas, Texas.
The three-term Dallas City Councilman would become the first openly gay mayor of one of the largest U.S. cities, in a race that could cost more than $2 million. The election will be held May 12, with a likely runoff set for June 9 featuring the top two vote-getters.
Victory Fund President/CEO Chuck Wolfe said Oakley’s endorsement is a milestone for the group and for the entire LGBT community. “Ed embodies the courage and commitment we all want in our public officials, and that shows in the strong support he is getting from both Republicans and Democrats,” Wolfe said in a release. “It’s an enormous achievement that an openly gay man is a serious contender to be elected mayor in one of America’s 10 biggest cities. We are especially proud of this endorsement.”
Oakley has stressed his campaign will be broad-based, reaching out to all parts of the city and all constituencies. “We’re going to the voters by knocking on as many doors in Dallas as possible. I want to earn their respect and vote based on my ability to lead our city,” he said in a release.
“Ed may be a Democrat, but he will have a lot of Conservative Republicans like me supporting him because he does what is right,” Bill Blaydes, Oakley’s colleague on the City Council, said in a statement issued in December.
Oakley received Victory’s endorsement in his 2001 and 2003 council races as part of the Victory Fund’s efforts to build a team of qualified openly LGBT elected officials whose experience will enable them to seek higher office.
Other Victory endorsees have fared well in recent area elections. Dallas County Sheriff Lupe Valdez was elected in 2005, becoming the first woman, first Latina and first open lesbian to hold that post. In 2006, endorsee Gary Fitzsimmons was elected Dallas County District Clerk.
Eighteen openly gay mayors currently serve in the U.S., including the mayors of Providence, R.I., North Miami Beach, Fla., Palm Springs, Calif., and Cambridge, Mass.
Six other candidates also received endorsements in races across the country:
The Gay & Lesbian Victory Fund’s endorsement brings the attention of a national network of donors committed to increasing the number of openly gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender public officials at federal, state and local levels of government. The group provides strategic, technical and financial support to openly LGBT candidates and officials. Victory is the nation’s largest LGBT political action committee and one of the nation’s largest non-connected PACs. In 16 years, Victory has helped the number of openly LGBT officials grow from 49 to more than 350.
