Not long ago the GLBT community relied largely on our allies from the straight community to advocate for equal rights. While support for our issues was few and far between, in the absence of our own representation, many politicians have opposed discrimination based on sexual orientation, secured funding for the fight against HIV/AIDS, and have advanced domestic partnership rights in the quest toward full marriage equality. Their vote in our favor – despite vehement criticism from the opposition – has been crucial for our advancement as a community.

But the times they are a changin’. Over the last decade we’ve seen our own GLBT elected officials rise through the ranks. As our leaders advance, however, we find ourselves facing an unfamiliar and rather uncomfortable dilemma: How do we choose between rising GLBT leaders and the longtime incumbents who have remained loyal to our community all these years?

The answer is not cut and dry. The GLBT candidate should not be supported simply because they are GLBT. This candidate must be exemplary and progressive on issues beyond those concerning our community. Fortunately for us, those in leadership roles from our community are some of the best leaders and elected officials in politics today.

Now for our allies: We need to ask how long this person has been with us; were they 100 percent on our issues or just with us “most of the time”? We must scrutinize not only their voting record, but their role as a leader in advancing GLBT rights, such as Assemblymember Lori Saldana, D- San Diego, who coauthored and vocally supported the Religious Freedom and Civil Marriage Protection Act.

A hypothetical race exemplifying this dilemma is a U.S. Congress race between Christine Kehoe and incumbent Bob Filner. Currently a California state senator serving San Diego, Kehoe will soon be looking for her next gig, and signs point to Filner’s seat. Filner has been with us for some 20 years and has the voting record to prove it. Even more telling: His 51st Congressional District is by no means a safe seat. He has been challenged several times over the years, making his support all the more admirable.

Chris, however, is a truly exemplary and popular local GLBT elected official; hence the dilemma.

Some questions to ponder:

Is there something to be said about loyalty? Do we continue to support the candidate that has been there all these years? What kind of message do we send to our allies if we send in our best and brightest to unseat them after years of support?

From a strategic perspective, shouldn’t we be encouraging our candidates to seek alternative seats; those that don’t already have an ally voting for our issues? Wouldn’t it make more sense to replace unsupportive politicians instead of our friends?

That said, is the term ally used promiscuously, and can these allies personalize our struggle in the same way a member from our own community can? Is having a first-rate GLBT candidate at the table exponentially more valuable?

The seat-at-the-table theory not only implies having a representative from our community present to ensure our voice is heard, it implies that our leaders shape society’s perception of who we are and what we stand for, and act as role models for members of our own community, especially our youth.

There is no straightforward answer here. Too many factors exist to place one overarching generalization. But, judging from the current political landscape, we will soon be faced with these issues and must begin thinking about the future. For example, Deputy Mayor Toni Atkins has opened an exploratory committee to run against longtime community friend and ally Ron Roberts for his Board of Supervisors seat.

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