The non-issue

Amid the public discourse andallegations about photo darkening, supporting drug dealers inneighborhoods and questionable consulting contracts in last week’s CityCouncil election, one issue that rarely surfaced was the fact that twocandidates are openly gay. Nor did the issue come up for an openly gayLansing School Board member-elect.

The three candidates say the meaningbehind the issue not surfacing more signifies progress for the city,one that is more accepting of the lesbian, gay, bisexual andtransgender community. It’s not that they avoided the issue — theydidn’t think it was worthy of attention.

Rory Neuner and Jason Wilkes, who losttheir bids for an At-Large and 3rd Ward Council seat, respectively,said being gay was simply not part of the campaign. So did school boardmember-elect Peter Spadafore.

“It was never an issue that came up in apublic way, which I think speaks to the community,” Spadafore saidMonday. “If someone asked, I was completely honest — it just wasn’tpart of the campaign. I think it reflects very well that Lansing voterstend to care about issues that matter and not about issues that don’t.”

Neuner agreed: “I think this is a prettyopen-minded city. My experience living here has been very positive —it’s not really been an issue for me in the campaign. I think it’s agreat sign of what kind of community this is.”

For Wilkes, something he “lives andbreathes every day” didn’t have a place in his campaign. “Gay, lesbian,bisexual and transgender issues are important to me,” he said beforethe election. “I live and breathe that every day.”

Wilkes doesn’t believe an issue likesomeone’s sexual orientation, race or religious preference shouldmatter when voting them into public office. “I don’t believe beingblack, white, gay, straight or what your religion is matters. My focusis to be the voice of the neighborhood. … As far as my campaign andwhat I’m running for, it’s somewhat of a non-issue.”

The Gay & Lesbian Victory Fund — anationwide organization formed in 1991 that works to elect LGBTcandidates for public office — notes on its website, “It takes courageand determination to run for office and even more to run as an openlyLGBT candidate. In your pursuit of public office, you must run smartercampaigns, raise more money and fight harder for viability and supportthan your opponents.” 

The organization offers politicalconsultations, training and financial contributions to candidates itendorses. Neuner was one such candidate who participated in aweekend-long training program. Part of the training included discussing“different scenarios where (the issue) could come up in a campaign,”she said.

The Victory Fund says on its websitethat there were 49 openly LGBT elected or appointed candidates when thegroup formed in 1991. The group estimates there is more than 500 todayand that “roughly 22 (percent) of all Americans are represented by anopenly LGBT elected official.” 

Lansing City Clerk Chris Swope said hewas “pretty public” about the fact that he is gay in his past campaignsfor the City Council, Ingham County commissioner and city clerk.

Swope said the last time his sexualorientation “was much of an issue” was when he ran for countycommissioner in 2000. When he ran for Lansing City Council in 1995,Swope said, “it was more of an issue then.” 

“There was some whispering campaign stuff that I heard about. Since then it’s seemed to fade away,” he said.

Swope took office as city clerk in 2006after serving five years as a county commissioner. He was the firstopenly gay candidate elected to the Board of Commissioners and also thefirst gay elected official in Lansing. Swope also donated to Neuner’sCouncil campaign.

“I think Lansing voters have progresseda lot in the last 10 years,” Swope said. “Over the course of the timesI’ve run, I’ve seen it really shrink in terms of what people arethinking about and are concerned about.”

As for the issue being downplayed in this year’s election, Swope said: “It doesn’t surprise me. I’m glad for it.”