Gay Gainesville mayoral candidate faces anti-LGBT smear campaign
An openly gay Gainesville mayoral candidate continues to face an anti-LGBT smear campaign from an organization calling themselves the "Concerned Citizens of Gainesville."
The group, which has previously attempted to block pro-LGBT efforts in the city, have distributed flyers that make anti-gay and transphobic claims about Craig Lowe. The flyers point to Lowe's involvement in a successful campaign last year defending the city's Human Rights Ordinance's anti-discrimination protections on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity and expression. The City Commissioner lead a coalition largely responsible for defeating an amendment that would have overturned the newly added protections for Gainesville's LGBT residents.
"He is 'responsible' for legally allowing men into women's restrooms!" the flyer reads. "If you believe that the women's restroom is no place for a man then... Say no to Lowe for mayor of Gainesville!"
Lowe, who has served on the City Commission since 2003, told EDGE the flyer had not made any impact on his campaign. As of last week, he remains the far-and-above frontrunner in the race, and has raised $12,797, some $9,000 more than his closest opponent, Richard Selwach.
"We've had a great campaign thanks to an excellent team, and we're definitely energized heading into the final weeks," Lowe said. "It's unfortunate to see these flyers come forward, showing the inability for some people to move forward with the notion that all people should be treated equally."
Lowe pointed to the anti-gay amendment's margin of defeat at the ballot box last year (58 percent to 42 percent) as evidence the flyer's arguments would not take wind with Gainesville voters.
"I believe that people will move on from this," he said. "This race comes down to what is best for the people of Gainesville and who has the experience to make those things happen.".
Mallory Wells, public policy director at Equality Florida, agreed the flyer's anti-trans assertions "did not work then and won't work now." The city also created of a domestic partner registry in 2007.
"The voters of Gainesville have shown their support for pro-equality legislation both through protecting the anti-discrimination protections and domestic partnerships," Wells told EDGE. "Lowe has, by far, the most experience of any candidate in this race."
Wells said she will canvass Gainesville this weekend in support of Lowe's campaign for mayor, a potentially historic one. Should Lowe be elected, he would become the first openly gay elected official in North Florida, an area in which residents are traditionally less likely to support pro-gay legislation.
"Gainesville is key for us at Equality Florida," Wells said. "I like to call it the 'beacon of equality' in that part of the state."
The race's significance is not lost on Lowe, though he sees his resume, rather than his sexual orientation, as the more important aspect of his campaign.
"I think my election would be an important step for the LGBT community, but more importantly for the city of Gainesville to keep moving forward and making progress on the wide range of issues we have been at work on since I've been on the city commission," Lowe said.