Democratic state Rep. Larry McKeon, Illinois’ only openly gay lawmaker, on Wednesday renounced his party’s nominee for governor, Glenn Poshard, and predicted that other liberal Democrats upset by Poshard’s conservative views would abandon him in the fall election.
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McKeon, of Chicago’s North Side, refused to support Poshard, a Downstate congressman, because of what he called Poshard’s “reprehensible” record on gay rights. McKeon also said discontent with Poshard is spreading among other Democratic constituencies, from abortion-rights supporters to gun-control advocates. Many of those voters, he said, will sit out the governor’s race or defect to Poshard’s opponent, Republican George Ryan.
“Many people in the community, gay and straight, concerned about these issues, are struggling with what they’re going to do on Nov. 3,” McKeon said at a news conference outside his district office. “People are intensely angry and upset with him personally.”
In a statement, Poshard said: “I’m sorry Rep. McKeon feels he cannot support my candidacy. I wanted the opportunity to explain my entire record on issues of concern to him.”
Poshard’s troubles with the gay community followed him back to Washington, D.C., on Tuesday, when other Illinois Democrats confronted him about an earlier comment made by an aide. The aide said physicians who object to homosexuality should not be required to treat gays.
Poshard said in an interview Wednesday that the comment was “absolutely ridiculous” and “has not, does not, would never represent my position on that at all.”
Rep. Luis Gutierrez (D-Ill.) said “my stomach turned” after reading the comment.
“It was the first topic I talked with him about,” Gutierrez said. He said he was satisfied with Poshard’s explanation.
Poshard said he is being vilified, and his record is being distorted by gay activists and the media. He does not support some gay issues, such as same-sex marriages. But he does support others, including increased spending on AIDS research.
Poshard pleaded with those who disagree with him on social issues to judge his entire record.