Dallas Voice (Dallas, Tex.), Vol. 20, No. 2, Ed. 1 Friday, May 9, 2003 Page: 1 of 68
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Frasier star Dan But
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Dallas
The Community Newspaper For GayC_ALesbian Dallas
Oakley roasts to win
Gay candidate handily defeats Housewright to claim District 3 seat
By David Webb
Staff Reporter
City Council member Ed Oakley, who is
gay, startled North Oak Cliff's old guard with
a decisive win over opponent Mark
Housewright in the District 3 race,.
"I think [Housewright] was really shocked
to not win," said political consultant Pat
Cotton. "He kind of coasted in [last year's spe-
cial election] and probably was not aware that
... if you've got a good opponent you've got to
work really hard.
"I think Ed worked enormously hard. He's
a very aggressive campaigner. He just didn't
leave a stone unturned."
Oakley said that one of ‘Ho- -sgwright's
major supporters, former District- 3 City
Council member Bob Stimson, called him the
day after the election and expressed "astonish-
ment" over the results. Oakley won with 55
percent of the vote, compared to the gay-
friendly Housewright's 43 percent.
Housewright enjoyed the endorsements of
three former District 3 council members —
Stimson, Charles Tandy and Mayor Laura
Miller.
"They really though; they had it won,"
Oakley said. "My biggest asset is that people
always underestimate me."
Oakley, currently the District 6 representa-
tive on the council, was forced to run against
Housewright when redistricting moved his
home into District 3. Housewright was elected
last year to fill out Miller's unexpired term
after she resigned to run for mayor.
Cotton said that the gay community proba-
bly played a strong role in Oakley's win, par-
ticularly after Miller angered many gays with
her last-minute endorsement of Housewright.
The Oakley campaign identified about 850 gay
voters in the North Oak Cliff area.
"In that race, because of Laura's endorse-
ment of his opponent, I think that probably
galvanized a lot of people in the gay commu-
nity to help Ed, because they saw it as a slap at
him," Cotton said.
A total of 6,976 votes were cast, with
Oakley taking 3,825 and Housewright 2,975.
Oakley won by 850 votes.
Ed Oakley . . . "My biggest asset is^fiiat
people always underestimate me." *
"That could be it right there," Cotton said.
Cotton also noted that Oakley bested
Housewright with campaign fund-raising.
Oakley received $100,000 compared to
Housewright's $20,000.
"It's not just the money, but what the
See OAKLEY on PACE 10
Gays rejoke as bills apparently dead
Michelle Rutherford, left, and her partner, Michelle McEwen,
are pictured at a rally at the statehouse held in March.
McEwen said her family has been "on pins and needles"
awaiting the outcome of anti-gay-family measures.
Legislation barring gays from adopting, serving as
foster parents halted in committee for this session
By Angela Geralds
Staff Reporter
Legislation that would eliminate the ability of gays and lesbians to
serve as foster parents or adopt children is apparently dead.
State Rep. Kenny Marchant, chairman of the Republican-dominated
House State Affairs Committee, said compelling testimony by oppo-
nents of the legislation, coupled with its high cost, combined to doom
the measures.
"It's scary," said Michelle McEwen, a lesbian mom from Bedford,
because the primary reason the measures will see no further action by
lawmakers is because of their price tag.
"I don't think our legislators are afraid to discriminate," she said.
According to a study released by Lesbian Gay Rights Lobby of Texas,
legislation that would ban gays and lesbians from serving as foster and
adoptive parents would cost the state $15.7 million a year over the next
five years.
See FAMILIES REJOICE on PACE 13
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Vercher, Dennis. Dallas Voice (Dallas, Tex.), Vol. 20, No. 2, Ed. 1 Friday, May 9, 2003, newspaper, May 9, 2003; Dallas, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth616342/m1/1/: accessed July 16, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting UNT Libraries Special Collections.