Former Florida Rep. Proudly Speaks of his Stances on Gay Civil Rights

By DMITRY RASHNITSOV

The nation’s largest LGBT Democrat organization has weighed in on Florida’s controversial race for the empty United States Senate seat.

The Stonewall Democrats, who are based in Washington DC, but have chapters all over the country, announced their endorsement of Congressman Kendrick Meek, D-Miami , in the November Senate race.

Meek will run off against Florida Gov. Charlie Crist and former Florida Speak of the House Marco Rubio. Rubio is running on the Republican ticket, and Crist is running as an independent.

“The congressman has been incredibly impressive to us. He has worked incredibly hard for full equality for the LGBT community,” said Stephen Handwerk, national board co-chair for Stonewall Democrats Political Action Committee. “It’s about leadership, it’s about folks standing up and supporting the things they believe in, especially in a time when it’s not politically expedient to do so.”

The 43-year-old Meek has been a Congressman since 2002, and, according to the latest polling data, is trailing very badly in the three way race.

According to a June 9 Rasmussen poll, Rubio and Crist are each earning 37% of the vote, while Meek trails with 15% support. Eleven percent (11%) are undecided.

According to Meek’s website, he is a long-standing support of gay civil rights.

“In 2008, Kendrick was endorsed by the Human Rights Campaign, and he received an award from the Gay and Lesbian Victory Fund in 2007 for his ‘courageous leadership on behalf of equality for all Americans.’ He supports issues of importance to the GLBT community, including hate crime prevention, employment nondiscrimination, and partner benefits.”

Meek said that he will continue to fight hard to get the state of Florida to reverse their ban on gay and lesbian couples adopting children.

“Why should Florida be by itself in denying parents who want to raise kids in foster care,” Meek said, adding that he is “thankful for the endorsement and believe it will make a real difference in the outcome of the primary election and the general election.”

Meek still must face off against former Miami Mayor Maurice Ferre and billionaire financier Jeff Greene in the Democrat primary in August.