Al McAffrey, Oklahoma State Representative, Becomes State's First Openly Gay Senator
Oklahoma elected its first openly gay state senator, with State Rep. Al McAffrey soaring to a landslide victory Tuesday night.
The 63-year-old McAffrey, a Democrat, beat Republican opponent Jason Reese with more than 66 percent of the vote, according to NewsOK.
"Al's election to the State Senate is another milestone for LGBT Oklahomans, and we are proud to support his campaign,” said Chuck Wolfe, president and CEO of the Gay & Lesbian Victory Fund, which had endorsed McAffrey. ”There are still a number of states that have never elected any openly LGBT state legislators, so Oklahoma can be proud that Al has been elected to both the House and the Senate.”
The Dallas Voice reports that McAffrey, a father of three, was elected to the Oklahoma House of Representatives in 2006, and easily won re-election in both 2008 and 2010. During his time in office, he was a leader on legislation supporting senior citizens, education issues and access to affordable health care.
"Tonight, the people of Senate District 46 have put their faith in me to represent them in our state legislature," McAffrey wrote on his official Facebook page. "I do not take their faith in me lightly or for granted. I am committed to fighting for the values that define our district: fairness, equality and moving Oklahoma forward."
A father of three, McAffrey has also been a "tireless advocate and supporter" of HIV/AIDS awareness, according to his website.
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First Posted: 02/15/2012 2:08 pm Updated: 02/15/2012 2:08 pm