Basic Rights Oregon and the Human Rights Campaign just announced their endorsement for governor: Democratic incumbent Ted Kulongoski.

A no-brainer, you say? Well, sure, if we’re just considering Kulongoski versus Republican Ron Saxton. But there’s another person in the race, someone who made the BRO endorsement something that observers were very curious about: State Senator Ben Westlund, who’s running as an independent.

Ok, yeah, Westlund is a former Republican, and even wrote an argument in favor of Measure 36 for the voters pamphlet. But he was also a sponsor and chief proponent of SB1000, the failed bill that would have combined nondiscrimination and civil unions for same-sex couples. His support for it riled up his GOP comrades, who threatened to put him through a primary against someone even further to the right. He responded by dropping his party and running for governor.

It’s no secret among political watchers that Westlund carried the ball on SB1000, while team captain Kulongoski sat on the sidelines. It led to a number of questions: Would/could BRO endorse Westlund just because of his work on SB1000, despite the fact that his other political stances would most likely make BRO’s allies (unions, pro-choice groups, environmentalists) bristle? Or would they endorse Kulongoski, as a staunch Democrat, even though he wasn’t exactly jumping for joy over Multnomah County’s same-sex marriage licenses and screwed the pooch on civil unions?

We now know the answer. Read BRO’s announcement after the jump.

A Message from Basic Rights Oregon & the Human Rights Campaign: Reelect Governor Ted Kulongoski

Dear Friends:

Basic Rights Oregon and the Human Rights Campaign wholeheartedly support and urge you to reelect Ted Kulongoski for Oregon Governor in the upcoming November election.

As GLBT Oregonians, we have been fortunate to live in a state where our Governor has continuously supported our community. Governor Kulongoski has done more to stake out a public position in favor of GLBT equality than any other Governor in the country and he has ensured that we have a voice at the table.

From the beginning of his career and every step along the way, Governor Kulongoski never forgot about the GLBT community and worked to represent all constituents in the state. He has advocated for equality and stood toe-to-toe against those who attacked us.

Here are just a few examples:

*As a first-term legislator in the 1970s, Governor Kulongoski introduced one of Oregon's first anti-discrimination bills.

*He has consistently and publicly opposed and campaigned against anti-GLBT ballot measures, including 2004's Measure 36.

*As Attorney General, he directed his staff to draft an amicus brief to the United States Supreme Court on Oregon's behalf, arguing that Colorado's anti-GLBT Amendment 2 was unconstitutional -- a brief that was widely considered to have a significant impact in getting the measure thrown out.

*In his first term as Governor, he introduced anti-discrimination legislation, and requested the landmark Senate Bill 1000, which passed the Senate in 2005 and would have created civil unions for same-sex couples and banned discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity.

*Following the 2005 session the Governor formed the Governor's Task Force on Equality to continue to move the issue of relationship rights and anti-discrimination forward between legislative sessions.

*And, most recently, the Governor has appointed a senior staff-member as an official liaison to the GLBT community – and for that reason alone, he has earned our vote.

Those are just a few examples of the work that Governor Kulongoski has conducted in support of our community. He is the ONLY candidate in this year's race for Governor with a more than 30-year pro-equality record.

But there is another clear reason to reelect Governor Kulongoski. The stakes in this election could not be higher for the future of equality in Oregon. During the last legislative session, Oregon made history by passing a historic civil unions and anti-discrimination bill in the Oregon Senate, only to see it die in the Oregon House.

In 2007, we WILL pass the bill in both the House and the Senate, but without a pro-equality Governor in office to sign the legislation, the discrimination against us will continue to stand.

Governor Kulongoski's Republican opponent, Ron Saxton, has vowed to veto any pro-equality legislation, including a civil union or antidiscrimination bill.

It is clear that a vote for any candidate other than Ted Kulongoski would ensure a Saxton victory which would be a tragic setback for our community and we cannot allow that to happen.

That's why we are urging you to not only to cast your vote for Ted Kulongoski in November, but to get involved as well. Your support for pro-equality candidates will ensure that we elect legislators that will represent all residents in Oregon fairly and equally.

Remember that it is up to all of us to stop the extremist who continue to attack our community. We need to come together this election season to defeat the politics of hate and send a clear message to future candidates that GLBT Americans will not be used as punching bags for their political gain.

Thank you for your continued support.

Regards,

Frank Dixon
Interim Executive Director
Basic Rights Oregon

Joe Solmonese
President
Human Rights Campaign

As you'll notice, BRO/HRC doesn't mention their erstwhile ally Westlund even once in the release. This line, though, is obviously directed at Westlund's campaign: "It is clear that a vote for any candidate other than Ted Kulongoski would ensure a Saxton victory which would be a tragic setback for our community and we cannot allow that to happen."

It seems unlikely that Westlund will get the "green light" from BRO, a signal that's short of an endorsement but lets voters know where candidates stand on equality. Their refusal to green light Multnomah County Chair candidate Ted Wheeler (who stomped Diane Linn) set up a bitter fight that is still raging in some circles.

Speaking of, word has it that Alisa Simmons--who was Linn's campaign manager, a BRO board member, and the chair of BRO's endorsement/political action committee--has gone to work for Westlund's campaign. Perhaps not surprisingly, Simmons is no longer listed on BRO's board of directors page.