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• texasnewsOut candidate: Don’t call me gayRepublican George Clayton isn’ttrying to hide his sexual orientationbut says he doesn’t like labels as helaunches bid for TX House in 2014ANNA WAUGH | News Editorwaugh@dallasvoice.comAt least three openly LGBT candidates plan torun for Texas House next year, but one said thisweek he doesn’t want to be labeled as a “gay candidate.”Republican George Clayton formally announcedhe’ll seek Dallas Republican Rep. StefaniCarter’s District 102 seat in 2014. An administratorfor the Dallas Independent School District, Claytonserved on the State Board of Education from2010-12 until he was outed as gay and lost in theprimary last year.Carter is stepping down to run for RailroadCommission. Former Dallas CouncilwomanLinda Koop has also announced that she will runfor the seat in the 2014 primary.But while Clayton would be the first openly gayRepublican elected to the Texas Legislature, he isfocusing on his education platform, which includesstandardized testing reform and cappingadministration salaries, and he rejects the gaylabel.“I am out and have been for many years. However,I will not run as a ‘gay candidate’ or ‘gay Republican,’”Clayton told Dallas Voice this week.“Labels promote inequality and should never beused by anyone.”Clayton initially indicated he would seek an endorsementfrom the Washington, D.C.-based Gayand Lesbian Victory Fund, a political action committeethat helps elect openly LGBT candidates.But he later said the organization is too left-wingand is “all too fond of labeling.”“I believe that labeling segregates people andcreates a platform of inequality,” Clayton said. “Iam always amazed at how quickly the gay communityis willing to embrace this inequality. Trueequality will come when labels do not precede aperson’s name or party affiliation.“Let me be clear,” he added. “I support equalstanding under the law for all people includingmarriage, job opportunity, political freedom andthe absolute right to live upon the public and privatestage free of labels, categories or any highlightedaspect of a person’s life or condition.”Victory Fund spokesman Denis Dison said theVictory Fund instructs its endorsed candidates toaddress questions about their sexual orientationand then move on to address the issues that areimportant to them.“In some sense he’s right,” Dison said aboutClayton not wanting to be the “gay candidate.”“There is a built-in, mistaken assumption thatLESSONS LEARNED | Dallas school district administrator George Clayton, shown during histenure on the State Board of Education, was defeated in the 2012 Republican Primary after beingouted as gay. Now Clayton plans to run for Texas House in District 102. (Associated Press)being honest about your sexual orientation ismainly what their campaign is about. People arerunning for a variety of reasons and more often it’sbecause they see a need for change on issues importantto them.”Texas currently has only one openly LGBT statelegislator.State Rep. Mary Gonzalez, D-El Paso, a freshmanin the House, said she’s already launched herre-election campaign. She said her outspokennessabout LGBT and women’s issues during thisyear’s sessions have drawn two potential challengersin the Democratic Primary.Gonzalez, who identifies as pansexual, was targetedfor her sexual orientation last year, but wonthe primary without a runoff. During her firstterm, she passed four bills to help reform educationand infrastructure in her district. She also filedtwo LGBT-specific bills.She said while she expects a hard fight to keepher seat in the coming months, she’s excited aboutthe possibly of having more LGBT politicians joinher at the Capitol.“I’m always excited about increasing theamount of LGBT voices in the Legislature,” shesaid. “Having more than one person makes surewe have seats at many tables on different issues.”Austin lesbian Celia Israel could join Gonzalezas a representative in a few months. Israel has filedto run in the special election in November to replaceformer Rep. Mark Strama, D-Austin, who resignedearlier this summer.The election will fill Strama’s unexpired District50 term. Israel, along will two other Democratsand a Republican, are seeking to replace Strama.She has applied for the Victory Fund endorsementfor the special election. Endorsements will be announcedin late August.Israel, a real estate agent and community activist,said she planned to run for Strama’s seat atthe end of last year when it became clear hewouldn’t seek another term. Her campaign willfocus on equality, Medicaid expansion, healthcareand public education reform.“Our state doesn’t stand for progress,” she said.“The leadership in the Legislature does not representmainstream Texas.”She referred to the filibuster of a restrictive abortionbill this summer and the bill’s later passage inanother special session that engaged many Texansto speak out against the Legislature’s actions.“That was the spark that motivated many Texansto say, ‘This is enough,’” Irsael said.• OUT, Page 1208.09.13 • dallasvoice 9