Political notes

Tsongas takes the 5th
At her victory celebration at the DoubleTree Hotel in Lowell on Sept. 4, Niki Tsongas, who prevailed in the five-way Democratic primary for the Fifth Congressional District seat formerly represented by Marty Meehan, told the jubilant crowd of several hundred that the special election, in which she'll face Republican Jim Ogonowski, will be a referendum on the presidency of George W. Bush. "It is a chance for us, the voters of the Fifth Congressional District, to weigh in on the policies of the Bush Administration and to send a message to White House." To hearty cheers, Tsongas invited all those who think it's time for the government to end the war, ensure the proper care of returning soldiers, invest in healthcare, restore America's reputation on the global stage, step up on education and environmental issues to "join with me and let's send a message to the White House."

Will a message be sent to the White House about LGBT equality? It's quite possible. Tsongas has pledged to follow in the footsteps of Meehan, a staunch supporter of equality who spearheaded the ongoing battle to repeal the military's "Don't Ask, Don't Tell," policy, as well as those of her late husband Paul, the former congressman and U.S. senator who filed pioneering nondiscrimination legislation in the early 1980s. She courted and won some crucial LGBT supporters early in her campaign including the likes of Congressman Barney Frank, philanthropist Ron Ansin and former state senator Cheryl Jacques to name just a few. Her Republican opponent, Dracut farmer and Air Force veteran Jim Ogonowski, on the other hand, has thus far been silent on LGBT issues, which doesn't necessarily bode well for the Log Cabin Republican set. But expect to hear from Ogonowski on the issues in the run-up to the Oct. 16 final showdown. Asked how she planned to challenge the GOP contender to spill his positions on LGBT rights after she wrapped up her victory speech, Tsongas replied, "I'll be as forceful as I have been all along in my positions and he'll have to articulate where he is and we'll let the voters decide," said Tsongas. "But," she added, breaking into a wide smile, "I know where I stand."

Gays say 'Grace'
The gays may have gone for Deval Patrick over Grace Ross when they competed for the governorship last year, but it seems they're lining up for Ross now. Ross is campaigning in a crowded field to become the first openly lesbian member of the Worcester City Council. Ross, a longtime social justice activist and Green-Rainbow Party member, was recently endorsed by the Gay and Lesbian Labor Activist Network. She was also the beneficiary of an August fundraiser at the MB Lounge, an institution in the Worcester's LGBT community.

Ross, who was not endorsed by any LGBT organizations during her gubernatorial bid, said that as an off-and-on GALLAN member of many years, she's thrilled to have the group's endorsement. But she's also excited to be getting some love from the LGBT community. "This is that piece that we had talked about [before], about getting some of the more formal organizations in the community to actually endorse out candidates that aren't necessarily seen as a traditional candidate," said Ross. "So that's great, they're a really good group."

Ross said the MB Lounge event, which was organized by Marc Guinette, the bar's owner, came about through her outreach to folks who are active in the city's LGBT community. About 35 people turned out for the fundraiser, according to the candidate. She hopes to make further inroads into the local LGBT community at the city's annual LGBT Pride festival on Sept. 8.

Ross is one of nine candidates - including all of the incumbents - competing for six at-large seats on the 11-member council in a Sept. 11 preliminary election. So how is Ross getting her message out to voters? After the standard phone calls and voter ID, targeted outreach by various campaign subcommittees aimed at reaching marginalized communities like Latinos and young people, the girl gets around. "I have endless amounts of energy so I'm all over the place," said Ross. From the disabled veterans barbecue to the local Planned Parenthood fundraiser to a meeting of the new business group Worcester First, she added, "I'm everywhere. Hopefully that adds up to stuff."

Know thy mayor
We couldn't help but notice that a few folks in the crowd that turned up to support marriage equality at a Quincy vigil back in May were wearing "Koch for mayor" stickers, since the name reminded us of that famed former New York City mayor who has long been the subject of gay rumors. But no, Ed Koch isn't carpetbagging for the corner office in Quincy. Tom Koch, however, is challenging incumbent Mayor William Phelan. And as it turns out, Koch, the city's parks commissioner, is a semi-closeted opponent of marriage equality. He signed his name to VoteOnMarriage.org's petition for a constitutional amendment to ban same-sex marriage back in 2005, and we're guessing those pro-equality activists/Koch supporters weren't aware of that fact when they were agitating for the amendment's defeat at Gilbert Memorial Park back in May. In response to inquiries from the group Quincy for Marriage Equality (QFME) about his signature, Koch issued a statement, which was posted on QFME's website. The statement reads in part, "The teachings of my upbringing and faith frame my belief that marriage exists between a man and a woman, and I will not try to spin that belief for political purposes. But the fact is, it has nothing to do with being mayor, and I will fight any attempt at character assassination that stretches this position any further than what it is: My personal belief. I believe every person should be treated equally, and with respect and dignity. This is who I am, and I will challenge anyone who suggests otherwise."

Phelan, by contrast, was among the signers of QFME's statement in support of marriage equality, which was published in the local newspaper in the run-up to the last constitutional convention in June. He is not expected to backtrack from his signing of the statement.