RE-ELECTED: All LGBT House Members

The 2014 midterms were not a total disaster, at least for the six openly LGBT members of the US House. Rep. Mark Takano (D-CA), Rep. Jared Polis* (D-CO), Rep. Sean Patrick Maloney (D-NY), Rep Mark Pocan (D-WI), Rep David Cicilline (D-RI), and Rep. Kysten Sinema (D-AZ) all retained their seats today. 

Openly gay US House candidates who lost their bids today include Oklahoma state Sen. Al McCaffrey, Texas military veteran Louie Minor, North Carolina American Idol finalist Clay Aiken, former Massachusetts GOP legislator Richard Tisei, and New York investment banker Sean Eldridge, the husband of Facebook co-founder Chris Hughes.

The House bid of scandal-plagued homocon Carl DeMaio is too close to call at this writing.

*Not pictured.

MASSACHUSETTS: Gay GOP Candidate Richard Tisei Loses To Seth Moulton

Iraq War veteran Seth Moulton, who has never held elected office, beat nine-term Democratic Rep. John Tierney in the primary. Massachusetts has not elected a House Republican since 1996. Tisei was one of two gay GOP House candidates, the other is freak show Carl DeMaio in California. NOM campaigned for both Moulton and DeMaio's opponent, Rep. Scott Peters.

Log Cabin Head Gregory Angelo: Boehner Has Always Backed Gay GOP Candidates

Hate Groups Launch Joint Campaign: Don't Vote For Pro-Gay GOP Candidates

Posted yesterday on NOM's blog:

Three of the nation's top pro-family groups have announced an unprecedented campaign against three top Republican candidates for federal office because the candidates are supporters of same-sex 'marriage' and abortion. The National Organization for Marriage, Family Research Council Action and CitizenLink announced they will urge voters not to support Republican House candidates Carl DeMaio (CA-52) and Richard Tisei (MA-6), and will urge Oregon voters not to support US Senate candidate Monica Wehby. "The Republican Party platform is a 'statement of who we are and what we believe.' Thus, the platform supports the truth of marriage as the union of husband and wife, and recognizes the sanctity and dignity of human life. This is what Republicans believe," said Brian S. Brown, president of the National Organization for Marriage (NOM). "It is extremely disappointing to see Republican leaders in Washington help push the election of candidates who reject the party's principled positions on these and other core issues. We cannot sit by when people calling themselves Republicans seek high office while espousing positions that are antithetical to the overwhelming majority of Republicans."

CitizenLink is an arm of Focus On The Family.

Paul Singer's Super PAC To Donate $2M To Pro-Gay Marriage GOP House Candidates

Billionaire investor Paul Singer's American Unity super PAC plans to donate at least $2M to the campaigns of GOP House candidates that endorse same-sex marriage.

The group has drawn up plans to back seven congressional candidates ahead of November's elections and could add more to the roster, said Jeff Cook-McCormac, a senior adviser to American Unity PAC and its policy arm, American Unity Fund. They include incumbents such as Pennsylvania Rep. Charlie Dent, a moderate Republican who announced his support for gay marriage in May and Richard Tisei, an openly gay Republican making his second bid for a U.S. House seat in Massachusetts. The super PAC already has spent $700,000 in a congressional primary this year to help Republican Rep. Richard Hanna beat back a Tea Party-backed challenger in upstate New York. Hanna, a two-term incumbent, backs a federal bill to ban workplace discrimination based on sexual orientation.

From the American Unity website: "Every day the voices of inclusion are getting stronger in the Republican Party as our nation moves closer to the realization of full freedom and equality for gay and lesbian Americans. Help us fight for a better future for the GOP and defend the courageous Republican legislators who are standing up on the right side of history."

RELATED: It isn't mentioned in the above-linked USA Today piece, but American Unity revealed in June that they would be backing San Diego homocon Carl DeMaio, who is running against incumbent Rep. Scott Peters, a pro-gay marriage Democrat. Let's hope they've reconsidered.

Victory Fund Head Chuck Wolfe: We Need Gay Republicans In Congress

"This year at least three gay Republicans are seeking seats in Congress, and the Victory Fund has endorsed two of them along with seven Democratic congressional candidates and hundreds more from both parties at the state and local level. As a nonpartisan organization with a clear mission to increase the number of LGBT voices in government, we strongly believe out lawmakers are vital on both sides of the aisle. The need is especially great now for at least one openly gay Republican inside the GOP caucus in Congress — someone who can speak authentically on behalf of all of us, including the 25 to 30 percent of LGBT Americans who consistently vote Republican in presidential elections.

"Richard Tisei, a married, openly gay Republican running for Congress in Massachusetts, is exactly the type of leader whose voice is desperately needed in the House. Richard is a respected, experienced champion for equality who garnered high praise from LGBT activists when he served in the state senate. In his last race for Congress in 2012, Richard earned the endorsement of every single major newspaper in his district, and he came extremely close to beating a Democratic incumbent who was battling an ethics scandal. He easily qualified for Victory’s endorsement then, and we are proud to stand with him again this year." - Victory Fund president Chuck Wolfe, writing for the Advocate.

Barney Frank: Don't Vote For Gay GOP House Candidate Richard Tisei

Former Rep. Barney Frank is urging the LGBT community not to vote for gay GOP House candidate Richard Tisei, who has the backing of the Victory Fund.

The campaign for Massachusetts' 6th Congressional District has received a significant amount of national attention this cycle, in large part because Richard Tisei, the challenger in the race, could become the first openly gay Republican elected to Congress. Tisei received a nice boost in February, when the Gay and Lesbian Victory Fund endorsed him despite the fact that incumbent Rep. John Tierney (D-Mass.) has an exceptionally strong record on lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender equality. The race has presented LGBT advocates with a dilemma that a few years ago might have seemed too good to be true: Support an openly gay Republican candidate who could perhaps help convince his colleagues to evolve on equality, or stay with a Democratic congressman who is straight but has been a stalwart on these issues? "I do believe it is very important to support gay and lesbian candidates. But the notion that we will tell an incumbent who has been absolutely perfect on gay, lesbian, bisexual [and] transgender issues -- absolutely perfect -- that perfection will do no good because he has sex with the wrong person, is the antithesis of what we should be fighting for," said Frank, referring to the fact that the Victory Fund is dedicated to electing LGBT candidates.

Frank also opposed Tisei's failed 2012 bid for the House.

CNN Commentator SE Cupp Backs Homocon Candidates For US House

Homocons Join GOP Prop 8 Brief

Yesterday we learned that about 75 GOP figures had signed onto a joint Supreme Court brief supporting the overturn of Prop 8.  Today we get the full list of names and note that a number of  well-known homocons have signed on. Most notable, of course, is that the brief itself bears the name of former RNC chairman Ken Mehlman, the homocon mastermind of 21 successful anti-gay state ballot initiatives during the Bush II administration. 

Other homocon brief signees include former Log Cabin head R. Clark Cooper, former UN ambassadors spokesman Richard Grenell (who spent two hot minutes with the Romney campaign before getting canned), former Log Cabin head Patrick Guerriero, former Rep. Michael Huffington,  former Rep. Jim Kolbe, and former MA state Rep. Richard Tisei, who ran unsuccessfully for the US House last year.

RELATED: Last month a separate trio of homocons, David Benkof, Doug Mainwaring, and Robert Oscar Lopez, filed a Supreme Court brief against the repeal of Proposition 8.

New From MA Homocon Richard Tisei

Female voice: "Mmmmm, that was nice."

New Ad For Homocon Richard Tisei

Boston Globe Endorses Tisei

Today the Boston Globe endorsed homocon GOP House candidate Richard Tisei over eight-term Democratic Rep. John Tierney, whose campaign has been saddled with a financial scandal involving his wife.

Over the years, the voters of Massachusetts have generally been reluctant to turn out incumbent members of Congress; the implicit bargain has been that, in exchange for being granted long tenure, they are expected to exert outsize influence on public policy. This approach produced such legislative giants as Tip O’Neill and Ted Kennedy. But while Tierney can be proud of his role in expanding access to college loans and heightening scrutiny of contracts in Afghanistan, his accomplishments aren’t so impressive as to negate his liabilities. All of this raises a question for Massachusetts voters: Are there any conditions, short of accusations of criminal wrongdoing, under which an incumbent should be unseated by a promising challenger? There should be.  If Tisei replaces Tierney, the GOP challenger will have much to prove — that he can be effective in protecting vital federal research dollars from cuts, that he can be a force for education reform, and above all that he can function effectively in a Republican House caucus that’s pushing ever more to the right. But voters should give him the chance.

Tisei has also been endorsed by both GOProud and the Log Cabin Republicans. If he wins, he will become the first-ever Republican member of Congress who was out before the election.

HomoQuotable - Richard Tisei

"I’m sure that there are a few knuckleheads that will, you know, look at me based on my sexuality as opposed to what I bring to the table. But I’ve got to say, every single person I’ve met so far has made me feel really comfortable. There aren’t very many Northeast Republicans nowadays, and most people recognize that in order to have a truly national party, you have to have members coming from all over the country." - GOP House candidate Richard Tisei, adding that Speaker Boehner already "understands" that he will not vote in "lockstep" with Republicans on issues like LGBT rights and abortion.

Barney Frank Vs Homocons, Part 3

Rep. Barney Frank has endorsed the Democratic opponent of Massachusetts homocon House candidate Richard Tisei.

Frank, who is backing fellow Democrat and incumbent Rep. John Tierney in the state’s closely watched 6th Congressional District race, said electing Tisei would ensure Republicans retain control of the U.S. House. That would effectively block any progress on gay rights legislation, Frank said Thursday in a conference call with reporters. Tisei is hoping to oust Tierney. "The fact that Richard Tisei is openly gay is a good thing." Frank said. "The problem is that it is of no use to us." Frank said if Tisei were elected, his first vote would be to keep Republican Rep. John Boehner as House Speaker. Boehner has opposed efforts to repeal the 1996 federal Defense of Marriage Act that denies tax, health and other benefits to married gay couples. The fact that Tisei supports efforts to repeal the law is beside the point, Frank said. "If he is helping them keep the majority that is irrelevant because the bill will not come up," Frank said.

The Victory Fund, which supports LGBT candidates, is unhappy with Frank's endorsement of the opponent of their choice.

"The Victory Fund was proud to endorse Richard Tisei, and we stand with him as he seeks to represent the people of the 6th District in Washington," said Victory Fund President Chuck Wolfe in a statement. "We need authentic and courageous voices like his and Barney Frank's challenging both parties to change, and advocating for the freedoms all LGBT Americans deserve." Wolfe acknowledged Frank's significance to the broader gay-rights movement, having become the first member of Congress to willingly come out, in 1981. However, Wolfe said change can only come by bringing LGBT voices to the table on both sides of the aisle. "Just as Congressman Frank was able to help persuade Democrats to turn away from an anti-LGBT record over the more than 25 years he served as an openly gay member of the House, we believe Richard Tisei's personal influence in the Republican caucus has the potential to change the hearts and minds of colleagues," Wolfe said. "That is how real change begins."

Tierney has issued a statement in reaction to Frank's backing: "I have continually supported equal rights of all Americans and although we have made significant strides toward equality, we still have a long way to go. I will keep fighting to end discrimination against LGBT Americans."

HomoconQuotable - Richard Tisei

"You know what, in Massachusetts, it's a lot easier to be gay than be a Republican, as far as trying to get elected to office. When Gov. Romney was here, I voted with him half the time, and I voted against him half the time. I have no problem working with Nancy Pelosi. Just because she's in the opposition, I'm not gonna poke her in the eye." - Openly gay GOP U.S. House candidate Richard Tisei, speaking to NPR.

Tisei faces eight-term incumbent Democrat Rep. John Tierney, whose campaign is plagued by a finance scandal involving his wife and her family. Tisei came out in late 2009 shortly before his failed bid for Massachusetts lieutenant governor. If elected, he will be the first-ever gay Republican House member who was out before his first term began.

Massachusetts: Openly Gay GOP State Sen. Richard Tisei To Run For Lt. Governor

Moderate GOP candidate for governor of Massachusetts Charlie Baker has named openly gay state Sen. Richard Tisei as his running mate.

“Richard has years of experience fighting for the taxpayer on Beacon Hill and I’m thrilled to have him on the team,” Baker said in a statement posted on his campaign Web site. The Web page contained on CharlieBaker2010.com included a photo of Tisei and an image of Baker-Tisei 2010 bumper sticker. Baker and the Senate minority leader will take on convenience store magnate Christy Mihos in the Republican primary. The winner is set to face off against state Treasurer Timothy Cahill and incumbent Gov. Deval Patrick in a three-way contest in 2010.

At the age of 22, Tisei became the youngest Republican ever elected to the Massachusetts House.