With early voting starting next week,
the fate of some Democrats in the Valley may very well rest in the
hands of the LGBT community. Now one would think that it would be a
cinch that Democrats would get their vote. Groups like Equality
California and Stonewall Democrats will try but their efforts seem
disjointed and confused at times.
Palm Springs, that bastion of gay,
liberal progressive Democrats is on the verge of being represented
by Chad Mayes, a graduate of Liberty University in the Assembly and
either Jeff Stone or Bonnie Garcia in the State Senate. In fact Palm Springs gay political groups seem more concerned about James Williamson and his Palm Springs Unified School Board
candidacy then that of Kara Lee Hargove, the Democratic candidate for
Assembly.
Locally gay Democratic leaders are also
sending mixed messages to the LGBT community with some hard to
explain endorsements in local non-partisan elections. Palm Springs
Council woman Ginny Foat has endorsed the pride of the East Valley
Republican Club, Linda Evans for mayor of La Quinta!! A few years
back, Evans said the biggest problem facing the Coachella Valley was
President Obama and the Affordable Care Act!! Greg Pettis, Cathedral
City Councilman, has endorsed perennial right wing candidate Steve
Grasha for a Water Board slot.
Despite some backbiting and petty
jealousy, local gay leaders have joined behind Congressman Raul Ruiz
in his bid for re-election. But it remains to be seen if they will
actively campaign to see him re-elected. They did hold a fundraiser
for him,
Many members of the local gay community
are recent arrivals and while they tend to be strongly Democratic, it
remains to be seen if local Coachella Valley Democrats will be able
to attract enough of their vote in an off election season to make an impact.
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