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This country's first openly gay statewide elected official has announced his candidacy for the office of United States Senator in 2000.
If he is successful in the Democratic primary next spring, Ed Flanagan will oppose Senator James Jeffords in the November 2000 general election. If he defeats Jeffords, Flanagan will become the first openly gay senator in the nation's history.
Flanagan says the timing of his announcement is partially based on financial reality — the need to start fundraising. "You can't allow yourself to be put at a disadvantage when you're running against somebody who started the race years ago and has spent and raised hundreds of thousands of dollars toward his 2000 campaign."
Under current regulations, a person who has raised $5000 must file as a candidate.
Although his recent experience has been in Montpelier, Flanagan is no stranger to Washington. As a high school, college, and law student, he worked on the floor of the United States Senate. He also served as a policy analyst in President Carter's administration.
First elected as Vermont's auditor in 1992, Flanagan explains that his duties have extended beyond balancing the state's checking account. Although "crunching numbers is obviously important," he says that most of his duties involve checking for legal compliance. "Frankly, we look for trouble, because where there's trouble, there is usually either compromised services or tax dollar waste."
The only person who has filed to oppose Jeffords so far, Flanagan says that he would not "cooperate with the Republican leadership's agenda." He acknowledges the incumbent's record on matters concerning HIV and AIDS, but is confident that he will be stronger on every issue concerning the GLBT community. "When Senator Lott dares to say that we are sick and need help, I will raise my voice strongly and clearly."
Although he has never hidden his sexual orientation, in 1995 the behavior of national officials moved him to be more vocal. "Jesse Helms was saying that the victims of AIDS should be punished and Dick Armey was calling Congressman Frank 'Barney Fag.' That tipped me over the edge," he says. He made a decision to publicly come out. "I thought it was very important to offer the public a personification — offer them a face — as an example of what the gay community is."
His re-election as auditor in 1996 made him the first openly gay person elected to a statewide office in the United States. Despite his proud stance, he says his candidacy is not about his sexual orientation. He believes that Vermonters accept that and are anxious to deal with other issues.
He emphasizes the need for coalition building with other minority constituencies around issues such as retirement, health care, and childcare. "I think it's in these areas that this election will be decided."
