We stand by our friends. That loyalty is one of the things that has strengthened the GLBT community and helped make us a political force to be respected. As the election season looms ever nearer, it’s time for us to remember who our friends are and to give them all of our support.

The Gay and Lesbian Times is endorsing longtime friend of the community Vince Hall for the 76th Assembly District seat, which will be vacated when termed-out Assemblymember and Speaker pro Tem Chris Kehoe runs for State Senate. Hall comes into the campaign with a strong history of political activism, including serving as Governor Gray Davis’ chief of staff. Prior to the 1998 gubernatorial election, Hall served as communications director for Davis when he was lieutenant governor. He also served as the district director and technology advisor to Congressmember Bob Filner and as a council representative for the San Diego City Council. Currently Hall is an educator at San Diego State University, sharing his experience in federal, state and local government with students.

Hall is also well-known for his ongoing support of the GLBT community. He has been a member of the predominantly gay San Diego Democratic Club (SDDC) for over 10 years. He has long been outspoken in his support of the GLBT community — even when he stood to lose by it. From walking in the Pride Parade to making himself an integral part of the community, Vince Hall has always been there for us. It’s time for us to return the favor.

Unfortunately, there has been an ugly split in endorsements, which came to a head on Sunday, Dec. 14, at the Region 21 Pre-endorsement Caucus for Assembly Districts 76, 77, 78, and 79, where local delegates voted for state party endorsements.

In endorsing Heidi von Szeliski and pressuring delegates to vote for her over Hall, Assemblymember Kehoe and Senator Dede Alpert went against community opinion without explaining why, and with methods that many saw as an attempt to strong-arm delegates into supporting their candidate.

A letter sent to California Democratic Party Chair Senator Art Torres claimed that politicians outside the region gave 63 people, historically uninvolved in the San Diego County Democratic Party, last minute appointments to the caucus.

“Apparently the sole rationale for those individuals’ appointments is their pledge to vote for 76th AD candidate Heidi von Szeliski. Apparently these ‘kingmakers’ felt the need to go to these extraordinary lengths because Ms. von Szeliski has almost no support from long-time 76th AD party activists. In fact without these last-minute appointees, Ms. Von Szeliski probably would have placed last!” said the letter, which was signed by local party officials.

It is inexcusable for Kehoe to simply expect the community to march lockstep, jumping to obey orders without question. Kehoe has long been respected for her effectiveness and integrity — trying to stack the electorate with out-of-town delegates who would vote the way she told them to was beneath her. She may have had the best of motives, but this approach was a major misstep.

“The reason I [supported von Szeliski] was because I was a strong supporter of Vince Hall’s on the last cycle, in the 78th district,” Kehoe said, defending her support of von Szeliski. “The seat [which was lost to a Republican] had been democratic for well over 20 years. So has my 76th assembly district been democratic for many years.… As one of the five openly gay members of the California legislature, I think it’s important for me to try to keep this seat Democratic. Any number of [gay rights bills] you can bring up have only passed the assembly by the minimum number of votes.… Democrats need to be working to keep this seat Democratic and we need the strongest candidate possible. I think that Heidi is that candidate.”

We agree that it is very important to keep this seat Democratic, but Kehoe has done this community a great disservice by ignoring us to endorse a virtually unknown, untested political lightweight.

While Kehoe may believe she has valid reasons for supporting another candidate, as a public servant, Kehoe should consider public opinion as well. Should we turn our backs on her should someone equally qualified come along? Kehoe needs to be big enough to admit that she made a mistake and endorse Vince Hall now, rather than taking the easy way out and sheepishly waiting until after he wins the primary. Our community has often been accused of being politically fickle, finding someone new just because we didn’t like one thing about a candidate. Now Kehoe is doing precisely that, and it sets a horrible example.

Vince Hall is well-liked and respected by the community. The SDDC has overwhelmingly endorsed him, by a vote of 63-1 over von Szeliski. The community is speaking, why isn’t Kehoe listening? Hall is well-qualified and has supported us for years. To turn our backs on him now in favor of someone who may be a very qualified candidate but who remains unknown and untested would simply be wrong.