With the latest polls showing that the three-way mayoral race is neck-and-neck now that write-in candidate Donna Frye has entered the fray, the GLBT community, once silent in the nonpartisan race, has begun to come forward with endorsements for Frye. Both the San Diego Democratic Club (SDDC) and Deputy Mayor Toni Atkins came out this week endorsing Frye, a Democrat, which could have a dramatic effect on a race where both Republican candidates had been vying for the GLBT vote.

In an exclusive interview with the Gay & Lesbian Times, Atkins spoke about her decision to endorse Frye after she had chosen not to take a side in the race when only incumbent Mayor Dick Murphy and County Supervisor Ron Roberts were running.

“I think that as someone who is progressive and has supported not only the LGBT community, but certainly many, many other issues important to my communities in District 3, her entering the race – and she is a viable candidate – gives us another choice, and she’s worthy of consideration for that reason,” Atkins said. “She’s been an ally of mine when it comes to issues of affordable housing. She’s a well-respected environmentalist. Her work on protecting beaches, bays, canyons and open spaces is well known. I think Donna is a populist; she’s ignited the interest of pretty much regular, everyday San Diegans who feel that they have been left out of city government.”

Similarly, the predominately-GLBT San Diego Democratic Club convened to endorse Frye in a special meeting after they had voted last month, when Roberts and Murphy were the only candidates, to take no position on the race.

“They’re both Republicans and the club can’t actually endorse a Republican to begin with,” said Stephen Whitburn, the SDDC’s president. “It can rate candidates, but there just wasn’t a lot of enthusiasm in the club for rating either of the Republicans. As soon as Donna announced her write-in candidacy, people started asking about a [San Diego] Democratic Club endorsement.”

With the club’s next regular meeting scheduled just five days prior to Election Day, the club held a special meeting on in Balboa Park on Oct. 9 to consider endorsing Frye.

“There really wasn’t any discussion at all,” Whitburn said. “It was obvious to the membership that the club ought to be behind Donna. I think people are enthusiastic about her because she is so dedicated to doing the right thing. She calls it like she sees it and she obviously has the city’s best interest at heart, and people feel that she is exactly what a government representative should be. She’s a populist and people love her.”

A September Gay & Lesbian Times editorial criticized GLTB political organizations like the SDDC and elected leaders, including Deputy Mayor Toni Atkins and State Assemblymember Christine Kehoe, for not taking a stance or endorsing a candidate in the mayoral race. However, both Atkins and the Democratic Club are weighing in on why they are supporting Frye.

“Donna’s record in the LGBT community is one I don’t think we can ignore,” Atkins said, citing Frye’s city council votes against the Boy Scouts’ Balboa Park lease and in favor of the clean needle exchange program, the medical marijuana identification card program and adding gender identity and expression to the city’s Human Dignity Ordinance. “She has been with us on every single issue that’s come before city council….”

Because of her late entrance into the race, Frye did not attend any of the voter forums hosted by the SDDC or fill out the club’s candidate questionnaire, which the club waived the rules on in order to expedite her endorsement. In a recent call to the Gay & Lesbian Times, Frye stated her suppport of same-sex marriage and opposition to the proposed Federal Marriage Amendment, which Roberts also opposes. Murphy’s official position on the FMA is “no position.”

Frye had previously filled out the SDDC questionnaire in her race for the District 6 council seat.

“When Donna filled out her candidate questionnaire for city council, she wrote next to the question on gay marriage that she did not think that it was a city issue,” Whitburn noted. “I think it could become a city issue if the city council is asked to take a position on a statewide gay marriage initiative. So I don’t agree with that particular response, but nonetheless, she has been so good on our issues that I think the membership is very comfortable that she would vote the right way if it does come before the city in the next couple of years.”

Frye’s critics have pointed to her record on council votes, specifically those where she is the lone opposition in a vote, saying that her lack of political experience and ability to create a consensus could work against her.

“As far as consensus, I have supported Donna on a lot of issues, Mike Zucchet has; I think you have to look back and see how we voted on any number of issues,” Atkins said, refuting those concerns. “You know, people like to make a big deal out of the 8-1 or 7-2 votes at council, because it stands out. Donna Frye supports many issues that are related to conducting city business each and every council meeting. No one brings it up when she votes in the affirmative with the majority of council, so is that her leading us or are other people leading her?”

As the Nov. 2 election draws closer, Frye is expected to roll out her plan for the future of the city, as well as how she will deal with its current fiscal crisis and pension fund deficit.