THE US SENATE will soon see its first openly gay member, after a lesbian Democratic candidate took a landmark victory in Wisconsin.
Tammy Baldwin has held the seat being vacated by the retiring Herb Kohl, fending off the Republican challenge of Tommy Thompson in what was seen as a seat that was up for grabs.
The victory is seen as particularly impressive given that Thompson was governor of the state for 16 years – leaving his position to take up the job of Secretary of Health in the first cabinet of George W Bush.
State summarises, however, that Baldwin had wielded a major fundraising advantage and had pursued an aggressive advertising campaign to slam her Republican opponent.
The Guardian said Baldwin’s sexuality had not been a major issue in the campaign – with the senator-elect saying: “If you are not in the room, the conversation is about you; if you are in the room, the conversation is with you.”
To embed this post, copy the code below on your site
have your say