Holy crap, I’m voting for Roy Ashburn, IOKIYAR personified, and other local political potpourri.

I never ever, ever thought I’d say this, but I am a Roy Ashburn supporter in this election. As a Kern County politician, Ashburn routinely voted against GLBT rights, until that is, he was arrested for a DUI that resulted in him having to apologize…and to come out of the closet as a gay man. In the beginning, my anger was palpable. It was bad enough that he would vote to deny rights to his lesbian daughter, but to deny his own rights? Inconceivable! But that’s exactly what he did. As he explains here, he was afraid to come out of the closet, and if he supported GLBT rights he would be risking outing himself:

http://youtu.be/kd4NSMocPVc

In the aftermath of his coming out, he decided to openly support gay rights (although he says that if GLBT issues lead to big government he will be against it…hey, at least he’s making progress). I find the interview that I just linked refreshing. But still, I don’t know if I was ready to make nice.

But, now the seat of Kern County Supervisor is being contested between Ashburn and Mick Gleason. If the company one keeps is a sign of how they will govern, then I can’t support Mick Gleason who is allied with Tea Party rifraff like Kevin McCarthy. Sooooo, come Tuesday, I will be among those who vote to give Roy Ashburn a second chance at serving Kern County. I hope he wins this election, and I hope he continues to make progress on GLBT rights (that big government comment gives me a headache).

In other local political news, I support Rudy Salas over Pedro Rios for California State Assembly. Even though I have given Rios my vote before for Delano City Council, I am far too alienated by and distrustful of the Republican Party at this point to do so again. In addition to that, Rios has demonstrated a uniquely Republican hypocrisy. The October Surprise in this race is that Rios was brought to the United States illegally as a child and benefited from Reagan’s amnesty program, but he doesn’t support the DREAM Act. Rios received his political act of mercy, and to heck with Delano youths who would be helped by the DREAM Act. That is especially gross.

And finally, I am very frustrated with John Hernandez who was been a lazy, non-existent campaigner for our Congressional seat. Karl Freaking Rove has been buying ads for Valadeo calling a Hernandez a socialist but he doesn’t even need to because I doubt Hernandez has the energy to be a socialist either. Ay yi yi, my kingdom for a decent Dem candidate!