National Geographic

"We are about to do the hardest thing that many of us have ever done in our lives.But we're up to it. We are a strong, resilient, loving people. We will replace the scorched-earth campaign tactics of our opponents with stories of the love, commitment and responsibility at the core of our families. The only thing this whole debate is about is whether people are able to have access to the things that keep all families strong ± economic, legal and civil protections. We will build an incredible coalition of allies from across the political spectrum and from every sector of Minnesota life to help us reach the hearts and minds of every Minnesota of every belief and political persuasion, across the countryside, in every hamlet, town and city." - Openly gay Minnesota state Sen. Scott Dibble, vowing to defeat the 2012 ballot measure to ban same-sex marriage.

Openly gay Rep. Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) is reportedly mulling a run to replace the retiring Sen. Herb Kohl, who leaves office in 2012. If successful, Baldwin would become the first openly gay U.S. Senator in history. The Victory Fund is already promising Baldwin their full support.

“This would obviously be a top priority for us. Tammy Baldwin has been an outstanding congresswoman, and she’d be an outstanding senator,” said Chuck Wolfe, president and CEO of the Gay & Lesbian Victory Fund, which has endorsed Baldwin repeatedly. In 1998, when Baldwin became the first openly LGBT candidate to win election to the U.S. Congress as a freshman, the Victory Fund raised nearly a quarter million dollars for her campaign.

(Tipped by JMG reader Michael)

Openly gay New York Assemblyman Daniel O'Donnell yesterday once again introduced a marriage equality bill to his chamber. Similar bills authored by O'Donnell have passed in the Assembly several times in recent years. He writes via press release:

"It is with great pride that I am introducing the Marriage Equality Act. Since the Assembly last passed the bill in 2009, there has been an overwhelming groundswell of support for Marriage Equality across our state. Recent poll numbers have shown a strong majority of New Yorkers now stand firmly in support of Marriage Equality. However, nowhere was this powerful belief in equality more clear than at Monday's 'Equality and Justice Day' rally in Albany, where citizens from across our state came together and demanded equality under law in one unified voice."

I guess this is openly gay GOP presidential candidate Karger's take on Carly Fiorina's much-parodied "demon sheep" campaign.

Yesterday Karger filed the paperwork to become the first openly gay GOP candidate for president.

Today Fred Karger will officially file his candidacy for the GOP 2012 presidential nomination, becoming the first Republican to do so. Oh, he's also the first-ever openly gay GOP candidate to run for president. Mother Jones reports:

Karger has already made many swings through Iowa and New Hampshire, laying the groundwork for his campaign in those key primary states. He's run TV ads and met with dozens of young Republican activists to rally the troops. Today's FEC filing simply makes his candidacy official. It also, no doubt, will make it harder for Republicans to keep him out of candidate forums and debates during the campaign, which some have been trying to do. While Karger met this week with officials at the RNC, including chairman Reince Priebus, in what he called a warm meeting, other members of the GOP establishment have not been so welcoming of his historic candidacy. As we reported earlier this month, RNC members in Iowa and a key organizer with Ralph Reed's Faith and Freedom Coalition have not only threatened to keep Karger out of the race but also intentionally shut him out of a March 7 presidential forum in Des Moines organized by Reed's group. Karger responded by filing a complaint against RNC member and Iowa Faith and Freedom organizer Steve Scheffler as well as his organization for violating federal election laws by discriminating against Karger because he's gay. Karger's official candidate status now will only help his complaint.

Karger made his name in 2008 by launching boycotts of corporations that made donations in support of Proposition 8. He's been instrumental in the numerous lawsuits filed against NOM for failing to disclose the names of their backers.

(Via - Towleroad)

Gay rights attorney and former San Francisco Supervisor Roberta Achtenberg has been appointed by the president to the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights.

Achtenberg co-founded the National Center for Lesbian Rights and was elected to the San Francisco Board of Supervisors in 1990. In 1993, she became the first openly gay or lesbian person to be confirmed for a federal appointment when the Senate approved President Bill Clinton's nomination of Achtenberg as assistant secretary of the Department of Housing and Urban Development. She has served on the Cal State Board of Trustees since 2000.

RELATED: In 1995 Achtenberg left the above-mentioned HUD position to unsuccessfully run for mayor of San Francisco. And I voted for her even though her campaign worker totally ruined my bought-that-day suede jacket with a big sticker.

As anti-gay Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi faces a confidence vote due, in part, to his infamous dalliances with numerous prostitutes, his possible replacement appears to be Nichi Vendola, the openly gay governor of the southern Italian state of Apulia. Via Washington Post:

The governor of Apulia, a region in the heel of the Italian boot, wore a gray checked suit, purple paisley scarf and glittering black shoes strapped with Velcro. From his left ear hung a sparkling diamond hoop given to him by his partner, Ed. Around his left thumb he wore a gold band, the gift of a southern fisherman upon winning his first shock-the-establishment election. "Nichi!" yelled a woman who ran up to shake the graying 52-year-old's hand. "You speak the truth!" Farther down Rome's broad Via del Tritone, a class of high school students looked up stunned and squealed, "Ciao, Nichi!" A deeper voice shouted from across the street, "Get rid of them all, Nichi!" Vendola, who nonchalantly assesses himself as "beloved," smiled the drowsy-eyed grin of a man who has seen all this adoration before. But this crisp December morning was different. Inside the Montecitorio palace, the lower house of Parliament and Vendola's destination, Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi faced a career-threatening confidence vote. Many of the frustrated Italians gathering in the surrounding squares hoped this gay, Catholic, ex-communist poet whom the media has dubbed - partly in jest and partly in earnest - "the white Obama" would take the premier's place. Improbably, Vendola is positioned to become the next leader of Italy.

Vendola says that in Italy, Catholicism is "more cultural than religious" and he even counts nuns among his supporters. But according to the above-linked story, Vendola is a frequent target of television comedians who mock his lisp and his meandering, metaphor-laden style of speaking. A regular feature in one newspaper is a column titled, "Nichi, What The Hell Are You Talking About?"

Ireland's openly gay Sen. David Norris is leading the polls to succeed Mary McAleese as that nation's next president.

The Independent Senator received the backing of 27% of those surveyed by Red C in a poll for Paddy Power bookmakers. The poll found Fine Gael MEP Mairead McGuinness in second place, with 13% support, although this is due to the Fianna Fáil and Labour votes each being split by the inclusion of two candidates each. Former Taoiseach Bertie Ahern receives the backing of 12% of those surveyed, while his party colleague MEP Brian Crowley gets 10%.

The election is in October. Ireland's presidency is largely ceremonial.

(Tipped by JMG reader Vivian.)