‘This is the most important election of our time.’

Never has there been a more important election season for the future of the GLBT community. It has been quite a ride, from the State of Massachusetts legalizing same-sex marriage and several cities around the nation challenging their state constitutions by granting marriage licenses to same-sex couples, to the invalidation of the 4,000-plus same-sex marriages in San Francisco and the FMA proposed by President George W. Bush.

GLBT issues have been politicized – forced onto center stage. Whether we like it or not, the future of our civil rights will be in the hands of those we choose to elect for office.

From the top down, each race is important and must be chosen carefully. The Gay & Lesbian Times has selected five local candidates to highlight who have received our endorsement. (See page 49 for a complete tear-out list of endorsements.)

Having the experience, qualifications, and the understanding to deal with all of the challenges facing San Diego, paired with his long-standing history of support for the GLBT community – such as his early endorsement of Christine Kehoe when she ran for San Diego City Council, his support of domestic partner benefits while on the city council and his initiative for domestic partnership benefits while serving on the County Board of Supervisors, as well as years of providing essential grants for HIV/AIDS service providers – Ron Roberts is the right choice for San Diego.

Mike Aguirre has been consistently 100-percent on GLBT issues. In 2001, Aguirre took an unpopular stand, openly testifying against the Boy Scouts lease before the city council. With a no-nonsense approach to issues, including being in favor of open sessions at City Hall, Aguirre has gained the respect of many in our community.

When it comes to this race, it’s a no-brainer – Christine Kehoe has a long history of service to this community. She was the first openly gay San Diego City Council member, and while serving in the State Assembly, authored the Insurance Equality Act (AB 2208), signed into law last month by Gov. Schwarzenegger, which ensures that domestic partners and married spouses are considered equal in all insurance policies issued in the state. Kehoe has always remembered who has gotten her where she is today, and continues to represent this community. Make sure she gets your vote!

Lori Saldaña is the right choice for our community. Also 100-percent on our issues – including a proponent of same-sex marriage – Saldaña has shown she is the better candidate. A Democrat, we need her vote in the State Assembly, where bills such as AB 205, which grants domestic partners state marriage rights, are voted in. As a community, it is vital we elect a candidate who will vote Democrat: The votes to pass three major GLBT-rights bills this year in the Legislature were sharply divided along party lines. Saldaña’s opponent may succumb to political pressure from the Republican Party and vote along party lines as well. Nearly every gay or gay-friendly politician and organization has endorsed Saldaña.

Gay-friendly candidate Patty Davis may not be “all the way there” – she has expressed her belief that same-sex couples should be afforded all the rights that marriage provides heterosexual couples only in the form of civil unions and domestic partnership rights – but compared to her competition, she is by far the best choice for this community. A Democrat, Davis will act in accordance with the principles of the party which better serve our community.

Whether you agree with the Gay & Lesbian Times’ endorsements or not, we implore you to vote. Over the past few months, these candidates have worked tirelessly to convince you why they should have the right to represent you. Do your homework, look at their records, find out who’s on the ballot and choose who’s best to represent you. The choices may seem daunting, and that’s not even counting the initiatives. To help, our staff has assembled the tear-out voter guide found on page 49. Here, we list who we believe best represents this community. The choice is yours – vote!