3 gay Republicans feature their partners in campaign ads
You're not misreading that headline: Three openly gay GOP members are running for Congress this cycle, and their partners are featured prominently in their campaign ads.
The New York Times reports that the three races in Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and California, are all against Democratic incumbents, but the ads are "a first for a gay congressional candidate from either major political party," despite the fact that family members are often included in campaign ads.
The first ad, from Richard Tisea in Massachusetts, features a photo of Tisea and his husband, Bernie Starr, at their wedding. "I think people need to know who I am and what I'm all about," Tisei told the Times. "I'm obviously proud to be married to Bernie, and I'm proud to be a Republican." Here's the photo Tisei used:
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California's Carl DeMaio released a video that features him and his partner at a pride parade:
The third candidate, Dan Innis of New Hampshire, features his husband and his three children in a campaign video:
If successful, the candidates could help reform the Republican party's image, especially since a majority of Americans support same-sex marriage. But the Times also notes that "no Republican has been openly gay when first elected to Congress," so perhaps the GOP still has a ways to go.
