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Loading ...Gay marriage debate complicates SF mayor’s future
06.01.2009 9:08am EDT
(Sacramento) San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom has been linked to gay marriage ever since he directed city clerks to issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples in 2004. Now he’s running for governor and trying to broaden his appeal, but fate appears to be working against him.
The state Supreme Court’s decision to uphold California’s constitutional ban on gay marriage – and the prospect that an impassioned initiative to overturn it could share the ballot with next year’s governor’s race – holds consequences for candidates from both parties, but especially for the one most deeply associated with the issue.The intensity of a statewide vote on same-sex marriage could make it difficult for Newsom to connect with centrist voters, millions of whom voted no on the issue last year.
“It certainly underlines Gavin Newsom’s previous advocacy for same-sex marriage. I think that might be a two-edged sword for him,” said Mark DiCamillo, director of the San Francisco-based Field Poll.
Other possible Democratic contenders including Attorney General Jerry Brown, Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa and Lt. Gov. John Garamendi also support same-sex marriage. So does one of the three leading Republican hopefuls, former U.S. Rep. Tom Campbell, but former eBay chief executive Meg Whitman and state Insurance Commissioner Steve Poizner oppose it.
GOP Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger cannot run for re-election next year because of term limits.
Despite their liberal image, California voters have told pollsters repeatedly that they are divided over gay marriage. Even as they handed Democrat Barack Obama a 24-point win last November over Republican John McCain, they voted 52 percent in favor of Proposition 8, which overturned a state Supreme Court ruling earlier in the year that made same-sex weddings legal.
“If (Newsom) were to be the nominee, it would dominate the mainstream, the thinking of most voters, especially those outside the party who may not hold as sympathetic a perception of gay marriage,” DiCamillo said.
Two groups, Equality California and the Courage Campaign, are beginning to coalesce behind a 2010 initiative rather than waiting until 2012. They are targeting the same demographics Newsom will have to win, starting with voters in the Central Valley, one of California’s most conservative regions.
The area was largely ignored during the failed 2008 campaign against Proposition 8 and is among the regions where Newsom has the least support. Nearly 69 percent of Fresno County voters favored Proposition 8.
Newsom already has been touring the valley and stopping in other moderate to conservative areas, such as San Diego, in a bid to expand his appeal outside the San Francisco Bay area.
During an April town-hall-style event in Fresno, Newsom joked about newspaper editorials that questioned his bid for governor.
“They all said, ‘Good luck when you go to Fresno.’ The issue of marriage equality … you can’t win. The state rejects it,” Newsom said. “I didn’t do it because I waited for a public opinion poll to decide what my values were. I said I’m open to argument, always, but I believe in equality.”
Some supporters argue that Newsom can turn a 2010 ballot initiative seeking to repeal Proposition 8 to his advantage.
Geoffrey Kors, executive director of Equality California, said if the 41-year-old Newsom is the Democratic nominee, he would draw younger, progressive voters who support same-sex marriage.
“Every one of the Democrats running for governor is a supporter of full equality, but clearly Gavin has done a great deal for the cause, at great political risk,” Kors said.
The group has not endorsed a candidate.
Democratic strategist Chris Lehane said every politician wants to be known as a courageous leader, but few ever get the opportunity to lead on an issue of major importance and then follow through.
“I do think he accomplished that on the gay marriage issue. If he can use that to drive his platform of, that’s who he is at his core, then that could be tremendously powerful,” Lehane said.
Bill Carrick, a Democratic consultant in California, said Republicans would do well to stay away from the gay marriage issue, no matter who the Democratic nominee is in 2010. Otherwise, he said, they’ll risk further alienating young voters who already are turning away from the party.
“Ever since we have been moving from Ronald Reagan’s red state California to Barack Obama’s blue state California, social issues have been just a whole bunch of land mines that have caused enormous political trouble for Republicans,” Carrick said.
Mike Spence, president of the California Republican Assembly, said gay marriage will be an issue in 2010 whether it’s on the ballot or not, so GOP candidates should not shy away from it. The group is a conservative wing of the state GOP.
“On this specific issue, a majority of Californians agree with us. There’s never a downside to that,” Spence said.
Another factor potentially working in the Democratic nominee’s favor, whether it’s Newsom or someone else, is California’s changing electorate.
Just 31 percent of registered California voters are Republicans, while nearly 45 percent are Democrats and 20 percent are independents. That means it’s important for Republicans to reach independent voters, who tend to be more supportive of gay marriage than California as a whole.
A Field Poll survey in March found that nonpartisans favored gay marriage by 55 percent to 42 percent, while voters overall were evenly split on the issue.
Newsom is taking a moderate approach to the Supreme Court ruling that upheld Proposition 8. In the days after the decision, he appeared in one-on-one television interviews rather than at gay marriage rallies, as he has before.
A videotaped clip of his impassioned exclamation in 2004 that the door was open to gay marriage – “Whether you like it or not” – became a focal point of last year’s anti-gay marriage campaign.
“I’ll never say that again. I learned my lesson,” Newsom told the town hall crowd in Fresno. “I’ve got to be more humble.”
The issue isn’t that the Commonwealth of Massachusetts or other states with marriage equality are somehow more “liberal” than California. The issue is that Californians were arrogant, smug and had this bring it on attitude, as if California were immune to the same social ills of the rest of the states. Also Californians like to think they’re different and that California is somehow enlightened. It’s not that California isn’t enlightened, but many people there often forget that while they live in a tolerant place, many people harbor unspoken bigotry and prejudices. California’s gays and lesbians, left-wingers, liberals, progressives and the like have grown too comfortable and failed to understand that homophobia that exists in Alabama or Texas, also exists there, just not as openly. Californians grew self assure, arrogantly assured of their superiority on social issues, that they let their guard down. In Massachusetts(where I vote, even though I live in Québec), we fought for marriage equality against determined bigots. While the vast majority of the polls indicated that a slim majority of Massachusetts residents were OK with same-sex marriage, we didn’t let such an important institution and civil right be decided by popular ignorance. Call it “undemocratic” but gays and lesbians in the Commonwealth and our allies in the Assembly did everything possible to derail any amendment proposed. We realized that while Massachusetts voters were by no means ignorant, many were not sufficiently educated to make an electoral decision as to the rights of a misunderstood minority. What Massachusetts did that California did not, was we never underestimated our opponents, we used legal and political cunning, we broke some rules but only in the spirit of upholding higher principles(ie a cop speeds and breaks the law to respond to a 911 call). We used our representative democracy and educated those in office, as opposed to letting an average voter decide on an issue which they don’t understand and don’t want to understand. Much in the same way we don’t allow 3rd graders to use heavy machinery, by the same token there are issues(ie marriage equality, defense, international diplomacy, etc) which are best in the hands of elected officials or the courts and not in the hands of the average voter. The founding fathers, across the board supported the notion that a republic and a representative democracy, instead of “direct democracy” was the way to secure our liberty and the longevity of our republic. It’s not a question of whether California is less progressive than Iowa or Massachussets, it’s a question of minimizing the electoral lynch mob’s ability to cause havoc. Californians are in bad shape right now, both socially(due to Prop
and fiscally, due largely in part of California’s insistence on allowing people to vote on issues, which they have no expertise in. Anyway.
“Connicut”?? is this a new U.S. State?
Generally Newsom seems like a really good guy. However, it pains me to watch the far right run the videotape of him right after the court decision a year ago saying something such as “It’s over…they’re just going to have to get used to it.”
There have been some people in the limelight recently who have spoken poorly, not really realizing how their words can be portrayed later. Sotomayor is one of them, and Newsom is another. I think that true leaders need to be able to support their base constituency without waving a red flag in front of the bullish opposition. Every good professional athlete and politician knows that you don’t want to give your enemies ammunition before the war is over…never celebrate before you’ve reached the end zone! Newsom forgot about this, and his slip up empowered our enemies. Not his finest moment, IMO.
I live in San Francisco and I LOVE Gavin Newsom! I have never respected a politician like I respect Mr. Newsom. I will vote for him in any election he is ever in.
I am not originally from California. I moved here 5 years ago accepting the libefral image American’s hold of California. San francisco is the best place in the world, and the best place for gay people I have ever been to. Unfortunately, California is a huge state with and enormous and well-populated central valley, with enough voting voting power to sway policy. If Massachusettes or Connicut or Vermont had a huge Central valley dragging them down, I doubt there would be marriage equality in those states either. I would love to see California break up into two states: Costal california, and Inland california.
Gavin Newsome for Governer! He is the man!
Regarding California being liberal, there are more things to being a liberal state than just social issues.
And Iowa is nowhere near the 6th most liberal state. Iowa only has same-sex marriage due to a supreme court ruling. I highly doubt a majority of the people that live in Iowa support it.
I’m a native Californian, and it’s anything but liberal. It’s just an image America has due to the film and TV industry. Sure, the Bay area is liberal, but outside of that, it’s just a few pockets, here and there.
We have unfortunately TWO Californias. If you checked the Prop H8 voting map, the entire coast voted against it and the central and inland areas were the culprits. The younger generation is moving this map inland over time, but it unfortunately is still moving slowly. Waiting for prejudice to die, along with the old Republicans. Thanks to people like Mayor Newsom, we have begun the process, in fits and starts, for California. I came her3 over 30 years ago for the promise of “progressive” California; good thing I chose the coast, since I did find the California I hoped to .. just didn’t find all my rights! We have to keep working and pushing for our rights. It is awesome to see progress in other states; this progress helps every other state eventually. Then the federal rights –which really will move us into full citizenship. Best to all.
“Despite their liberal image, California voters” Ummmmmm, that liberal image is GONE! Prop HATE passed. California will pay a price for this.
To Editor:
I like to report a mistake in this article:
You quoted this – “Despite their liberal image”
It should be this – “Despite their redneck and backward image”
Get rid of – “liberal”;
Replace with – “redneck and backward”
Thanks.
The bit that says and quotes:
“Despite their liberal image” – DON’T MAKE ME LAUGH!!!!!
Steve is 100 % right – who said California is liberal, it sounds to me someone plucked that out of their ass I recken!!!! Californians would not know how to even spell “equality”, “equal rights for all” and “liberal” anyway – because the people in California are as dumb as a mule!!!
Iowa even beats California on the liberal scale.
Californians are liberal – WRONG
How can California be liberal? – if it has:
* The death penalty
* Bans gay marriage
* Bans euthonasia or consensual assisted suicide
VERMONT IS LIBERAL, NOT CALIFORNIA (I repeat)
VERMONT IS LIBERAL, NOT CALIFORNIA!!!!!
California is the 11th liberal state.
1 means most liberal:
No 1 Vermont
No 2 Maine
No 3 Connecticut
No 4 Massacussetts
No 5 New York
No 6 Rhode Island and Iowa
No 7 New Hampshire
No 8 New Jersey
No 9 New Mexico
No 10 Washington state
No 11 CALIFORNIA
No 12 Utah, Arizona and Nevada
No 14 and on and on it goes
Oklahoma is the most conservative and the least liberal state, followed by Texas and Nebraska.
At least in Vermont and NEW ENGLAND we know how to be liberal and move-with-the-times. Californian’s are liberal??????, fuck off, their redneck behind-the-times on marriage. Californians are such backward cunts MUCH LIKE TEXAS!!!!!!!!! California sleeps with Utah + Texas as far as I am concerned when it comes to thre little amendments that they love “one man and one woman”, “man and woman” or “husband and wife”!!!!
I think Newsom’s courageous support for marriage equality is his most attractive quality as a gubernatorial candidate. The fact that there will be a proposition restoring marriage equality on the ballot will be helpful to him. The fact that Obama will not be on the ballot will be helpful to the proposition and to Newsom.
Wish I were in California to support this man.
It is because Gavin is so supportive of marriage equality and has taken such risk that we as a community should support him. Clearly there will be people who support Gavin who don’t support marriage equality, those who agree with him on other issues. But for all of those who support marriage equality, especially gay and lesbian Californians and Americans, we should get behind Gavin. I for one have already given a small donation, and I made it clear that if for whatever reason he doesn’t win the gubenatorial race, he should run against that worthless homophobic piece of fecal matter soiling the White House with his presence. And that would be Barack Hussein HomophObama.