2 Gay Candidates for Congress Hope to Make History

Two openly gay GOP candidates are still alive in the midterm congressional elections. One is Richard Tisei of Massachusetts, who ran unopposed in his primary last night and hopes to join the six current LGBT members of the House, all Democrats, reports Mother Jones. No openly gay GOP candidate has ever been elected to Congress, notes Metro Weekly. "Opinions do evolve," says Tisei. "What I could do is be a catalyst to help bring about a change within the Republican caucus." The second gay GOP candidate is California's Carl DeMaio, who won his primary in June. A third, New Hampshire's Dan Innis, lost his primary yesterday.

All three made history of sorts by becoming the first candidates for federal office to feature their same-sex spouses in campaign ads, writes Patrick Caldwell of MJ. (His article spells out some of the friction they face as gay candidates from within their own party.) In other races, Democrat Maura Healey of Massachusetts won her primary last night and is expected to become the nation's first openly gay attorney general in November. In the same state, Democrat Stephen Kerrigan, also gay, won the primary to be his party's candidate for lieutenant governor. (More gay marriage stories.)