Rick Kriseman Receives Endorsements of LGBT Groups

St. Petersburg candidate for mayor, Rick Kriseman, has been endorsed by the LGBT groups Equality Florida and the Stonewall Democrats.

“I am proud to have the support of the LGBT community,” Kriseman said in a statement. “As mayor, I will ensure that St. Petersburg remains a city that values and celebrates diversity.”

In the Florida House of Representatives, Kriseman filed a bill urging President Barack Obama to end 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell.'

"It’s past time to end the failed policy of ’Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.’ There are nearly eighty thousand gay or lesbian veterans who live in Florida. Brave men and women who served honorably, but also in fear. They deserved better, and today’s service members deserve better. I urge our leaders in Washington, D.C., to move quickly in repealing this terribly ineffective law," said Rep. Kriseman.

Kriseman has served as the Grand Marshall in the St. Pete Pride parade and has sponsored legislation to ban discrimination against sexual orientation or gender identity in the Florida workplace. Kriseman has a stronger record on LGBT issues than most members of his party.

Stonewall Democrats Attack Crist

Michael Mitchell, the Executive Director of the National Stonewall Democrats released this statement in response to Charlie Crist releasing a gay rights platform.

"While I'm glad that Governor Crist has changed his position on a number of issues regarding LGBT equality, it's simply too little, too late from a politician who has spent his life using the LGBT community as a political football. Kendrick Meek, Crist's Democratic opponent, has an outstanding track record of fully supporting our community, whereas Charlie Crist has spent his political career using us as a wedge to further his own ambitions.

Charlie Crist is the worst kind of politician. When it was clear to him and everyone that there was no way he could win the Republican Primary - he became an Independent and thus left long held positions in order to save his political future. Once again, he is attempting to use the lives of LGBT people as pawns in his game to win votes at any cost.

"With a lifelong track record as a conservative Republican, said Michael Albetta, President of the Florida GLBT Democratic Caucus. "Florida’s LGBT-taxpayers are not fooled with Crist's newfound positions in the fight for equality. He is just another craven politician out to siphon votes from disenfranchised Floridians who are genuine supporters of equality, like Kendrick Meek. The real question voters should be asking: Does Governor Crist support the same positions on LGBT issues as Senate Candidate Crist? As a sitting Governor, Crist only acts when polls tell him the time is right. He is without leadership in representing the needs of LGBT Floridians."

NSD’s Mitchell continued, “National Stonewall Democrats encourage all Floridians to see through this latest façade of Governor Crist and see him as the opportunistic lifetime politician that he is.”

I share the Stonewall Democrats skepticism toward Crist's newfound progressive stance towards gay rights. I don't think progressives should punish NPA or Republican candidates for taking progressive stances on issues. Otherwise, there is no payoff for these candidates and they will back away from supporting progressive causes. Kendrick Meek and Democrats could have taken the high ground and one-upped Crist. Imagine if Meek released this statement.

"I congratulate Charlie Crist for backing gay rights. However, Kendrick Meek and the Democratic Party has a longer record supporting gay rights. Win or lose, Kendrick Meek pledges to continue to fight for gay equality. We ask that Gov. Crist take the same pledge."

Gay rights activists care about who is going to give them equality. Unemployed workers want a politician who will help create jobs. College students want a candidate who will make education more affordable. Most voters couldn't give a rat's ass who is the "real Dem."

There are plenty of issues to attack Crist on. Do progressives really want to push Crist away from backing gay rights?

Republicans Steve Schmidt and Meghan McCain support gay rights. I consider that a good thing. Progressives have plenty to disagree with Republicans on fiscal policy, national security and the environment.

Should we attack Charlton Heston because he marched with Martin Luther King? If Democrats want support from gays then the best thing to do is aggressively push for the repeal of "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" and support gay marriage. The latter neither Crist or Meek supports.