Why Christine Quinn running for NYC mayor is a big deal

Early polls suggest that New York City could soon have its first openly gay and first female mayor

Christine Quinn could make New York City history if she wins the race.
(Image credit: Brad Barket/Getty Images)

On Sunday, New York City Council Speaker Christine Quinn officially announced her mayoral run on Twitter. Her mayoral aspirations weren't exactly a secret, but that doesn't make her bid to replace Michael Bloomberg any less important.

Much of the focus on her campaign will be on the fact that she'd be the first openly gay mayor of New York City. The U.S. got its first openly gay mayor in 2010 when Annise Parker won Houston's mayoral race. Mayor of New York City, however, is a celebrity on a level that other cities are hardpressed to match, which isn't lost on the LGBT community. Melissa Sklarz, president of the Stonewall Democratic Club of New York City, tells the Washington Blade that Quinn's campaign will reverberate beyond NYC and "send a message around the world that homophobia and politics do not mix in the 21st century."

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Keith Wagstaff is a staff writer at TheWeek.com covering politics and current events. He has previously written for such publications as TIME, Details, VICE, and the Village Voice.