By Nicole Murray Ramirez
Equality California was founded to be the voice of California’s LGBTQ people in our state capitol. Its purpose, to lobby Democratic and Republican lawmakers to support and vote for LGBTQ civil rights legislation and to get LGBTQ citizens to run for public office and support their campaigns. Equality California has always been mostly led by activists/leaders from San Francisco and Los Angeles but in the last decade San Diego representation and leadership has grown as now San Diego has more elected LGBTQ officials than San Francisco. Equality California has raised millions of dollars and has contributed to many campaigns throughout the state and in just one state senate race in San Francisco contributed $1 million dollars in electing a gay senator over a straight candidate. As I have stated many times “the golden state is turning brown” and indeed even more LGBTQ Latinos are getting elected to office including the first statewide office holder from the LGBTQ community.
Equality California also endorses U.S. Senate and Congressional candidates. One of its top priorities is to get qualified LGBTQ candidates elected to congress as there aren’t even a handful. San Diego City Council President Georgette Gomez’s candidacy for congress has not only receive the overwhelming endorsement of the California Democratic party and Victory Fund but also the San Diego County Democratic party and every LGBTQ leader and elected official including the only LGBTQ Democratic Club, the first gay elected San Diego office holder Chris Kehoe, as well as State Sen. Toni Atkins and State Assembly Majority Whip Todd Gloria as well as GLBT Vote 2020. Latino leaders like congressman Juan Vargas and state Assemblywoman Lorena Gonzalez also endorsed Georgette Gomez.
Georgette’s election would make California history as the first LGBT Latino elected to congress. Gomez’ has a huge, volunteer base and not only has the San Diego LGBTQ community excited but also the Latino community, as she is the proud daughter of hard-working American Immigrants.
Among the candidates running against front-runner Gomez is millionaire Sara Jacobs who has never been elected to public office and spent more than $2 million in a losing race in another congressional district and now is going to spend more millions to try and buy this congressional seat. Sara is a white heterosexual woman who is a strong ally of the LGBTQ community, but we already have enough white millionaires in congress. But what we are greatly lacking is congresswomen of color and LGBTQ. Sara has been searching for a congressional seat for some years now and planning ahead smartly join the state board of directors of Equality California.
I have always been proud to have been the only San Diegan and the first person of color be elected as a state president of Equality California … but not now, as this past week Equality California endorsed both Sara and Georgette Gomez for congress, yes, a duo endorsement and it’s executive director has told some San Diego leaders it had to endorse Sara because she is on the board.
Equality California’s duo endorsement is a slap in the face to San Diego’s LGBTQ leaders and activists including Kehoe, Atkins, Gloria, etc. and is only about making a millionaire board member happy. Their duo endorsements is a disgrace to the entire LGBTQ and Latino communities. What happened to electing LGBTQ office holders because. “If we are not at the table we are on the menu.”
The good news is that though Sara is already spending millions on TV ads, Georgette Gomez is still the clear front runner as this congressional seat is not for sale like Equality California was. Now more than ever — Georgette Gomez for Congress!
No thank you, Scott Sherman
The days of conservative republican mayors ended with Dick Murphy as San Diego is now a democratic majority city. San Diego is also a growing people of color city and now has a powerful LGBTQ community. So when the most conservative republican on the City Council Scott Sherman filed to run for mayor it came to a surprise to many political leaders. Sherman has the most conservative voting record and no strong ties to all the people of color communities or the LGBTQ community. He has been almost invisible in all these communities and events. Don’t get me wrong, Scott Sherman is a nice decent guy with a wonderful wife, but he is out of touch with all the communities of San Diego. Front runner Todd Gloria will be a mayor for all San Diego.
