Kansas Governor to Address GLBT Democrats

A gay Democratic group mapping strategies to influence the Democratic National Convention will hear from a politician known for securing gay rights in solid GOP country.

Kansas Governor Kathleen Sebelius plans to address the Stonewall Democrats in Denver on Saturday. Last year, the Democratic governor signed an executive order adding sexual orientation to state nondiscrimination policies.

Stonewall Democrats say federal nondiscrimination laws should be a top priority for Democrats this year. They concede their party is unlikely to talk much about gay marriage during the presidential campaign. Nominee-in-waiting Barack Obama has said he supports civil unions but not gay marriage.

Read more at kwch.com.

Victory Fund Claiming Gay-Baiting in Kansas

A lesbian Democrat’s loss in a Kansas primary election that followed alleged gay-baiting tactics has triggered a flurry of finger-pointing among those involved.

The Gay & Lesbian Victory Fund has said Inga Taylor lost the Aug. 5 primary for a state House seat because her opponent, Gail Finney, launched “a last minute, anti-gay smear campaign” against the lesbian candidate.

But Thomas Witt, chair of the Kansas Equality Coalition, a statewide gay activist group, said the Victory Fund is making inaccurate accusations against Finney to cover its own mistakes in the campaign.

Witt, who was initially involved with Taylor’s campaign, has called on the Victory Fund to apologize.

Read more at washingtonblade.com.