HOUSTON — Houston voters may vote next week for the first openly lesbian mayor for a major US city.
Annise Parker doesn’t talk much about being a lesbian, but it hasn’t escaped the attention of residents of the fourth largest city in the United Sates.
“Over the years, it has become less and less of an issue for Houstonians because I really believe Houstonians judge people based on what we can do,” Parker said in an interview. “I always told voters the truth. There is an element of, ‘Well, if she will tell us the truth about her sexual orientation, she will tell us the truth about anything.’ ”
Parker’s sexual orientation may not hurt much her in the race, but she is still stuck in a tie against her two opponents. A close race has developed between Parker and two other Democratic candidates, Glenn Locke and Peter Brown, according to recent polls.
The only thing as close to their poll numbers are their similar positions on policies, Nancy Sims, a political analyst, said.
“The three candidates are just a degree apart on the issues,” Sims said. “Without a clearly defined enemy, it’s hard to choose whom to support.”
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