Last week’s endorsement meeting of the Bay State Stonewall Democrats, a gay and lesbian political group, showcased the queer community’s divided loyalties. In August, at-large councilor and mayoral candidate Peggy Davis-Mullen was trounced by Mayor Tom Menino in the endorsement meeting of the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Political Alliance. But at last Wednesday’s Stonewall Dems gathering, the two competitors virtually tied on the first ballot, with Menino winning 20 votes to Davis-Mullen’s 19. On a second vote, Davis-Mullen’s support dropped, but the mayor was still unable to claim the two-thirds majority necessary for an endorsement.

Davis-Mullen believes last week’s showing was a more accurate representation of her support in the gay and lesbian community than the Alliance endorsement meeting, which, as the Phoenix reported, was packed with sticker-wearing Menino supporters (see " Candidates Win Gay Endorsements, " TJI, News and Features, August 17). " This was true democracy at play, " she says, compared to what she calls the " stacked " Alliance meeting. Menino’s camp blames the outcome on the fact that he wasn’t invited, and therefore didn’t get to explain his positions in person (his openly gay campaign manager Michael Kelley, who found out about the meeting at the last minute, filled in). Says campaign spokeswoman P.A. d’Arbeloff, " I think he would have enjoyed the opportunity to talk about his record.... The mayor has tremendous support in the gay and lesbian community. "

Indeed, no candidates were directly invited to the event — a handful of pols found out about the meeting from friends who were members. So, especially because the Stonewall Dems draw members from across the state (unlike the Boston-heavy Alliance), Davis-Mullen’s strong showing may have been at least partly the result of her personal appearance. " These people aren’t necessarily as connected to the personal politics of these races, " says Stonewall Dems board member Stephen Driscoll. " I think they were maybe able to look at the candidates with a cleaner slate. "

In another change from the Alliance meeting, Jamaica Plain/West Roxbury councilor Maura Hennigan earned the Stonewall Democrats’ endorsement in her bid for an at-large seat. Despite her staunch support of domestic partnership, the Alliance refused to back her, which Hennigan — who has recently become a vocal critic of the administration on development issues — attributes to outside (read: Menino) interference. " I know I have broad support in the Alliance, but there may have been a number of individuals who have their own agenda, and that’s their right, " Hennigan says. " It was clear to me that politics did play a role in [not receiving the Alliance endorsement]. It wasn’t based on the issues, because I have been a very strong leader on issues of concern to the gay and lesbian community. "

Menino’s camp has repeatedly denied meddling in other races, however, and Stonewall Dems co-chair Mark Merante, who is also a member of the Alliance, backs that up: " Despite what I’ve heard [in the press], I didn’t see any evidence that the Menino supporters at the [Alliance] meeting had coordinated their moves respective to other campaigns or candidates. I didn’t see there was any attempt to force or deny an endorsement for any of the city-council candidates. " He attributes Hennigan’s success with the Stonewall Dems and failure with the Alliance to the fact that the gay and lesbian community is divided on her performance. " She has supporters; she has been a supporter of the community, " he says, " but there are those who feel she hasn’t been the most effective councilor. " At the Stonewall Dems meeting, he says, her advocates simply outnumbered her detractors.

Like the Alliance, the Stonewall Dems also endorsed State Senator Cheryl Jacques of Needham in her bid for the Ninth Congressional District — though it was by a one-vote margin. State Senator Brian Joyce of Milton also garnered significant support, which Merante attributes to the group’s policy of allowing members to join on the day of the endorsements. " I really do think it was largely that the Joyce campaign took advantage of Bay State’s rules and did their work of bringing people to the meeting, " he says. " I think if the Pacheco campaign had done the same thing then no one would have been endorsed, " because Jacques wouldn’t have received the necessary two-thirds. The Stonewall Dems also endorsed incumbent at-large councilor Michael Flaherty and challenger Felix Arroyo, a former Boston School Committee president. In the district races, the group gave the nod to Rich Evans (District Two, South Boston); Mark Juaire (District Three, Dorchester); and John Tobin (District Six, West Roxbury/Jamaica Plain). Cambridge City Council candidates Denise Simmons and Ken Reeves won the organization’s backing, as did incumbent mayors Dorothy Kelly Gay of Somerville and Sharon Pollard of Methuen.

Issue Date: September 6 - 13, 2001