MEET JIM NEAL, AN EXCEPTIONAL CANDIDATE FOR THE U.S. SENATE FROM NORTH CAROLINA-- AND A NON-CLOSETED GAY MAN

Two of my online pals, Pam and Teddy, were the earliest in sending me e-mails this morning. Teddy was eager that I see an exchange over at a great North Carolina blog, Blue NC. Jim Neal,who my friend Lanya from Traction has been telling me about, is the Democrat running against North Carolina's do-nothing rubber stamp Republican senator, Bob Dole's wife. He was chatting with the community online earlier this morning.

Submitted by omega_star on Sat, 10/20/2007 - 10:09am.
I've heard you're gay...

Submitted by JimNeal on Sat, 10/20/2007 - 10:18am.
I am indeed. No secret and no big deal to me-- I wouldn't be running if I didn't think otherwise

Submitted by omega_star on Sat, 10/20/2007 - 10:21am.
Do you really think a gay man can be elected in North Carolina?

Submitted by JimNeal on Sat, 10/20/2007 - 10:26am.
I'm not running this race to lose. I'm not running to make some social statement. I'm running to lead in the Senate for the voters in NC-- something Senator Dole has not done.
When people meet me, they'll see beyond the labels and into my character.

Submitted by omega_star on Sat, 10/20/2007 - 10:28am.
Where do you stand on gay marriage?

Submitted by JimNeal on Sat, 10/20/2007 - 11:05am.
It's okay if churches want to unite same-sex couples; it's okay if they don't. That's their Constitutional right which I support 100%.
But when it comes to the Government, I'm not in favor of any laws that discriminate against anyone for any reason.

The whole discussion went over very well at BlueNC-- and it certainly got Teddy's attention, who immediately asked me to contact him for Blue America. Pam wrote it up at Pam's House Blend and her post is a virtual compendium of the unsuitability of Elizabeth Dole and why Jim Neal, regardless of his sexual preference, would make an extraordinary senator for the state.

The South hasn't had an insurmountable problem electing gay men to office-- but they prefer their gay men stay in the closet. "Everyone" knew Mark Foley (R-FL) was gay but he would never admit it. So he kept getting re-elected over and over and over until the pressure of living a lie drove him to alcoholism and to molesting young boys. Republican closet queens like Mark Foley give gays a bad name. A few weeks ago I wrote about Mississippi Congressman John Hinson who was caught in a compromising situation with a man before he was elected, gave the Larry Craig "defense" ("I'm not gay and I apologize and I'm married") and was elected. Soon after he was caught not just making it with a man but with a Black man and he resigned and never went back to Mississippi.

In South Carolina it is an open secret that their U.S. senator, Lindsey Graham, is gay as a goose. But, despite having a male lover, he lives a closeted life and it manages to get by in the treacherous South Carolina political shoals. When homophobic fanatic Ed Schrock (R-VA) was discovered advertising for placing very explicit ads on a gay dating service line, he quickly resigned and disappeared... to spend more time with his family. As soon as Louisiana loon Jim McCrery was outed he immediately married his secretary, installed her back in Shreveport and went about winning re-election and living the life of a gay bachelor in DC. And, even closer to home, it doesn't seem to bother North Carolina Republicans that their itsy bitsy teeny weeny nutcase Patrick McHenry is not just a closet queen, but walking way over the edge with his involvements in a gay prostitution ring and, allegedly, a triple homicide.

But is North Carolina politically mature enough to accept an upfront, non-closeted gay person? Can they choose a senator based on his policy positions, attributes and his vision for the state? Everyone I know in North Carolina tells me the state has come a long, long way since Jesse Helms made a religious tenet out of homophobia, and that North Carolinians will look at Jim Neal and at Dole and pick the better candidate for the U.S. Senate. This will be a fun campaign to watch.