Richard Tisei, Openly Gay Republican, Picked As GOP Gubernatorial Candidate's Running Mate

Massachusetts Republican gubernatorial hopeful Charlie Baker has picked an openly gay running mate.

Baker announced that he had picked State Senate Minority Leader Richard Tisei on his campaign website and Facebook page.

"Richard has years of experience fighting for the taxpayer on Beacon Hill and I'm thrilled to have him on the team," Baker said in a statement.

"It is not exactly a news flash," Tisei said of his sexuality. "I don't think people really care these days."

Tisei fought for marriage equality in Massachusetts and supported a state challenge to the federal Defense Of Marriage Act.

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Comments

[LeaderofMen]

02:07 PM on 11/25/2009

No, it's not a news flash to us gays, nor to those in MA. But it IS indeed a news flash to those who have large, deep pockets that make up the rest of the GOP not in your state. And those deep pockets end in vehement vitriol for all things gay. After all, they won't even let Andre become governor in SC because they know he's a GAY LT. GOVERNOR. That's the ONLY reason why Sanford is still in office.

Bye, bye, Mr. Tisei. Once the rest of the party finds out about this, you're toast.

[thepoliticalcat]

08:11 PM on 11/24/2009

Mr. Tisei, I don't even understand how you could want to *be* a Republican. A conservative, yes. Many of us are socially liberal (don't get upset by the thought of gay people marrying, or women having access to contraception and choice) but fiscally conservative. But the Republicans have done everything they can to destroy this entire nation, let alone its gay citizens.

[springsm]

03:57 PM on 11/24/2009

I would question why he was picked. He might be a stellar candidate, but the 'republicans have done everything to make gays/lesbians disappear. I can't understand why Tisei would even think about working for a republican...but I guess he is one.

[proudloudlib]

03:20 PM on 11/24/2009

"Tisei fought for marriage equality in Massachusetts and supported a state challenge to the federal Defense Of Marriage Act. "

These guys are not going to pass the purity test. They will get teabagged by the "Conservative" Party for sure. (Sorry for the unfortunate verb, but there is no synonym available, and they are the ones that attached tea bags to their garments and went out in public.)

[William Young]

02:39 PM on 11/24/2009

The hypocritical party does it yet again, wow first they tried with Palin to appeal to the women voters out there,and that may have gained a few and now they are trying to go for the gay vote WTF? Being a republican and being GAY are completely off it doesn't make sense, but neither does those on the right. I would like to see how the party of no tries to digest this pill LOL!

[DevonTexas]

10:24 AM on 11/24/2009

Looks like things are changing.

[Political Conservative]

10:09 AM on 11/24/2009

Why is this a news story? If he picked an open heterosexual, would that be a news story?

[DevonTexas]

10:25 AM on 11/24/2009

Perhaps but he didn't and that make it news. Get the idea?

[ohboy]

06:20 PM on 11/25/2009

First rate.

[City of Evil]

11:55 AM on 11/24/2009

An openly gay Democrat is not news. An openly gay Republican is. I leave it to the reader to figure out why this is.

[arlandbaee]

12:58 AM on 11/24/2009

Gaining wisdom is hard work and as a species we are pretty lazy, self indulgent creatures. We haven't grown much emotionally or ethically because it hasn't been a priority for us. That is the change I voted for.

[pantherburns]

09:20 PM on 11/23/2009

I don't care who he picked. He will still lose. I'm from Massachusetts and you can take that to the bank.

[superfrog]

07:46 PM on 11/23/2009

Before the republicans start going around slapping everyone on the A$$ and attending tea parties they should start allowing openly gay soldiers to serve in the military.

[jhepp]

07:42 PM on 11/23/2009

Seen in isolation one would expect a little acknowledgement of this as a sign of progress, although some folks apparently would prefer a progressive step not be taken if they cannot take the credit. Pity. Keep resting on those laurels.

[hallowellboy]

05:48 PM on 11/23/2009

If the Republicans are supporting openly Gay candidates and the Dems are not, things have gone full circle. The Dems certainly haven't done anything for their Gay constituents. Good for the GOP in Massachusetts.

[bzb]

05:49 PM on 11/23/2009

I wouldn't be so fast to congratulating the GOP for picking a gay candidate.

[superstition]

06:34 PM on 11/23/2009

Let's make a list of all the pieces of legislation introduced by Republicans to advance the civil rights movement of gay Americans.

1. Federal Marriage Amendment. Oh...

Let's make a list of all the great things accomplished under the Bush administration to advanced said civil rights movement.

1. Ban on sperm donation by gay men. Err...

[bzb]

05:35 PM on 11/23/2009

Zeus9000 says:

You must be referring to the same bill that protected pedophiles as well. Do you guys really support pedophiles?

And your argument still doesn;t change the fact that the GOP did the above itmes mentioned in my OP. You trying to disqualify it, or belittle it is getting pathetic.
____________________________

That's a baseless argument as no one has shown me that the H8 crimes bill protects pedophiles that's h0g wash.

It's getting ridiculous that you don't accept the fact the GOP is using the Gay agenda to win votes nothing more.

So why wasn't the GOP supportive of Gay rights in the past? I can remember McGreevey being scolded by the GOP for being GAY.

[bzb]

05:18 PM on 11/23/2009

New FBI data show a sharp increase in anti-gay hate crimes.

Hate crimes based on religion rose 9 percent and the “largest category, racially-motivated hate crimes, fell less than 1 percent.” A breakdown of the 1,706 victims of sexual-orientation hate crimes:

– 57.5 percent were victims of an offender’s anti-male homosexual bias.
– 27.3 percent were victims because of an anti-homosexual bias.
– 11.6 percent were victims because of an anti-female homosexual bias.
– 2.0 percent were victims because of an anti-heterosexual bias.
– 1.6 percent were victims because of an anti-bisexual bias.

[bzb]

05:06 PM on 11/23/2009

The GOP is again exploiting and politicizing Gay issues to pander for votes.

Thats like Conservative Party candidate picking a Pro-Choice candidate as a running mate.

The GOP is desperate.

[ytorch]

05:09 PM on 11/23/2009

of course they're desperate!

how else can they win in MA?

they are known for their intolerance.

they need to veer away for that.