After a nearly 60 percent victory over Republican challenger Larry Stirling in the November election, Christine Kehoe officially took the reins from Senator Dede Alpert for the 39th State Senate District at a swearing-in ceremony in Sacramento on Monday, Dec. 6. Topping the list of challenges Kehoe will face in the State Senate are water, gasoline and homeland security issues.

“We hope there to work on some of the budget issues that have been so difficult over the last few years – the under-funding of local government and the impact of the state deficit on local government,” she told the Gay & Lesbian Times. “We don’t know yet what other committees I’ll be serving on, but there’s plenty of work to go around, so I’m sure I’ll wind up on some interesting assignments.”

The senator is chair of the Senate Committee on Local Government and Community Development, working on relationships between state and local districts such as the Water Authority. Kehoe wrote legislation that formed the San Diego River Conservancy during her last term in the Assembly and introduced measures to conserve water through water meters. She also created legislation to protect homeowner’s insurance policyholders and ensure that domestic partners and married spouses are considered equal in all insurance policies issued in the state.

Kehoe was one of the co-authors of the Marriage License Non-Discrimination Act, AB 1967, which has been reintroduced this year as the Religious Freedom and Civil Marriage Protection Act, AB 19. The bill was pulled last year after it stalled in committee and amid speculation that it wouldn’t have the votes it needed on the Assembly floor.

Kehoe intends to co-author the bill again this year and said AB 19 has a good chance of making it through the Assembly and the Senate, despite the “virulent opposition” of some voters and legislators to GLBT equality, such as an amendment introduced by the Rev. Lou Sheldon’s Traditional Values Coalition on the same day as AB 19 that seeks to ban same-sex marriage and eliminate domestic partnership benefits.

“[There are] a lot of ideological speeches on both sides, but fundamentally, we are looking for an equal opportunity for gay and lesbian couples to take on the responsibilities and enjoy the rights that go along with marriage,” she said of AB 19. “It is truly an equality measure, and we hope people will see it that way.”

GLBT-friendly state legislation was largely successful last session, with bills addressing hate crimes laws, employment and housing non-discrimination and insurance equality passing the governor’s desk. Additionally, many politicians who publicly supported same-sex marriage ran successful races, including Lori Saldaña, who replaced Kehoe in the 76th Assembly District and has already signed on in support of AB 19.

Gay and Lesbian Victory Fund President Chuck Wolfe said that successful GLBT candidates – 41 out of 65 Victory Fund-supported races – were strongest in elections “where we played offense than where we played defense,” and that elected officials need to focus on specific issues in their respective jurisdictions, not a one-size-fits-all approach – a key goal of Kehoe’s campaign.

“I think the elections show, and the number of openly gay elected officials that won show, that we can successfully talk about marriage equality and still win races,” Kehoe said. “… I don’t think the discussion around marriage equality was the deciding factor in John Kerry’s loss to President Bush. I think that we Democrats have to focus our issues on economic justice, civil rights across the board, and be clear about our message and be consistent about our message, and not waffle.”

Kehoe, who has served two consecutive terms in the State Assembly and on the San Diego City Council, has been aided over the years by the Victory Fund, which trains and supports GLBT candidates to win election.

Kehoe said her wide margin of victory in the 39th District, which is roughly 40 percent Democrat, means that 20 percent of non-Democrats voted for her – including 5 percent of Bush voters, according to one poll.

“So I think that if you’re talking to people about issues that matter, and you’re talking honestly and openly, they’re going to recognize that as a higher priority than being on the ‘right’ side of a particular issue – for most people,” she said. “… [T]he majority of voters want to see a whole range of issues discussed. And even more than that, they want to know how the candidate thinks: How do you arrive at your conclusion? Are you just being driven by polls, or do your listen to your constituents? Are you out in the district talking to people and working on issues that are important in the neighborhoods, or are you distant, removed, unconnected? And I always try to be right in the neighborhood.”

The 39th State Senate District is comprised of downtown San Diego, Hillcrest, City Heights, North Park, Linda Vista, Mission Hills, Mission Valley, Clairemont, Kearny Mesa, Normal Heights, Old Town, Del Mar, La Jolla, Pacific Beach, Mission Beach, Ocean Beach, Mira Mesa, Emerald Hills, Encanto, Valencia Park and Lemon Grove.

Kehoe’s office will remain in downtown Hillcrest.