Thank You Wayne
For Americans focused on the Republican and Democratic presidential primaries in Maryland, DC and Virginia yesterday, many may have failed to notice the results from races farther down the ticket from Obama and McCain. One race, of particular note, came in Maryland's 1st Congressional District, where nine-term incumbent Wayne Gilchrest was upset by conservative challenger, state Sen. Andy Harris.
Gilchrest, a Republican from Maryland's Eastern Shore, has been an impassioned advocate for LGBT rights in Congress. Not only did he co-sponsor the Military Readiness Enhancement Act (HR 1246), a Congressional bill to repeal “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell." He also voted in favor of the Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA) and voluntarily agreed not to allow sexual orientation to be a factor in the hiring practices of his personal congressional office.
SLDN will be sorry to see our friend, Wayne Gilchrest, leave Congress. However, we hope that whoever ultimately succeeds in representing Maryland's 1st District will follow Gilchrest's remarkable lead, and continue to fight for the day when all patriotic Americans can serve their country regardless of their sexual orientation.
Thank you Congressman Gilchrest for your years of service and steadfast support of all our brave men and women in uniform. Your presence in Congress will be sorely missed.
Labels: 2008
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