Parker blazes trail in Houston mayoral race
By Emily on 10/30/2009 @ 05:25 PM
Houston mayoral candidate Annise Parker is no stranger to breaking barriers.
Parker, who currently serves as the city's controller, has made a name for herself as someone who gets things done and commands support from both sides of the political aisle. And, as an openly gay candidate, Parker has been a trailblazer for other LGBT leaders in Texas.
"I always told voters the truth," she said in a New York Times piece today. "There is an element of, ‘Well, if she will tell us the truth about her sexual orientation she will tell us the truth about anything.' "
Now, she could make history as the first openly gay woman to be elected mayor of a major American city.
EMILY's List's Political Opportunity Program, which helps elect pro-choice Democratic women candidates on the state and local level, supported Parker in her 2003 controller race, when she became the first openly gay woman to serve in citywide office. Now, we hope to see her through a tough race on Tuesday, and polls show every vote will be crucial to a win. In the event that no candidate earns at least 50 percent of the vote, the top two contenders will compete in a runoff election.
We couldn't be more thrilled to support Parker in her historic bid for mayor. Check back for race results next week.
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