Local
Gay candidate loses Rehoboth mayor’s race
‘Lack of experience’ cited by longtime incumbent
Gay businessman Tom McGlone lost his bid to become mayor of the resort city of Rehoboth Beach, Del., on Saturday, finishing behind seven-term incumbent Mayor Sam Cooper by a vote of 665 to 483.
Gay restaurant owner Mark Hunker won his bid for a seat on the Rehoboth City Commission, the town’s legislative body. His election leaves two open gays on the six-member commission. Commissioner Pat Colluzzi, a lesbian, was not up for re-election this year.
McGlone’s status as an openly gay candidate did not emerge as an issue in a town that has long been a popular vacation destination for LGBT people in the Mid-Atlantic region, including Washington and Baltimore.
But he did emerge as an advocate for the town’s tourist oriented businesses, including bars and restaurants, which have complained that the Cooper-led town government was harming them through overly restrictive regulations.
Among McGlone’s supporters were the owners of the popular gay restaurant and bar Aqua Grill. One of its two owners was arrested last year for allegedly keeping the establishment’s outdoor patio open beyond a required 11 p.m. closing time.
Police later dropped the charge after discovering that Aqua Grill was exempt from the closing time restriction. Aqua Grill’s owners and customers, however, became outraged earlier this year when a town code enforcement officer informed the place that it was in violation of another ordinance for flying a flag over the sidewalk in front of the restaurant two inches lower that the code requirement.
Rehoboth gay activist Peter Schott said he’s concerned that Cooper’s re-election will be viewed as a signal for continuing a regulatory enforcement program that some view as targeting gay establishments.
Cooper has strongly disputed claims that the enforcement action was targeting any particular group or type of business. He said the enforcement effort targeted everyone found to be in violation of the town’s rules and laws pertaining to excessive noise or other ‘quality of life’ issues such as trash disposal.
In a phone interview with the Blade last month, Cooper said he welcomes the town’s diverse array of residents and visitors, including LGBT people. He said he was proud to have helped to build and maintain a town infrastructure that has resulted in a beautiful beach and boardwalk that attracts everyone to Rehoboth Beach.
Observers familiar with Rehoboth said Cooper appears to have succeeded in portraying McGlone as someone who lacked sufficient experience to become mayor because he never served in an elective post in the town or on a town board or committee.
McGlone argued that his experience as the owner of a successful financial planning business, a masters in business administration degree, and his commitment to improving the town’s relations with small businesses, among other skills, made him qualified for the job.
His supporters say he was well qualified to be mayor but note that the majority of the town’s voters consist of longtime residents and homeowners who tend to support Cooper and agree with Cooper’s position on regulating bars and other nightlife businesses. Although McGlone had the support of some longtime residents, observers say his base of support came largely from the growing but minority faction of voters who own homes in the town but don’t live there full-time. This group is eligible to vote under the Rehoboth election law, even though most live in D.C., Baltimore and other areas outside Delaware. They don’t turn out to vote as often as the permanent, full-time residents, according to observers familiar with the town.
“Well obviously I’m disappointed,” McGlone said after the election results were announced. “But I think that as a result of my running we lifted the bar. And I hope the current government has their ears open in terms of the issues that came up during the course of the campaign because I think those are still valid issues even though I didn’t get elected.”
Schott, who supported McGlone even though he lives just outside the Rehoboth town limits, said he and other McGlone backers were hopeful that a larger than usual turnout of voters, including new residents who tend to support entertainment businesses, would carry McGlone to victory.
But the results indicate that didn’t happen. The turnout of 1,148 people who voted for mayor in the Saturday, Aug. 13, election was slightly less than the 1,209 ballots cast for mayor in the August 2008 election. In that election, Cooper defeated challenger Paul Kuhns by a margin of 675 to 534 votes.
Rehoboth Beach
Rehoboth Summer Kickoff Party set for May 15 with Ashley Biden
The Washington Blade’s 19th annual Summer Kickoff Party is scheduled for Friday, May 15 in Rehoboth Beach, Del.
Ashley Biden, daughter of President Joe Biden, has joined the list of speakers, the Blade announced. She will accept an award on behalf of her brother Beau Biden for his LGBTQ advocacy work as Delaware attorney general. (Her appearance was rescheduled from last year.)
The event, to be held this year at Diego’s (37298 Rehoboth Ave. Ext.) from 5-7 p.m., is a fundraiser for the Blade Foundation’s Steve Elkins Memorial Fellowship in Journalism, which funds a summer position reporting on LGBTQ news in Delaware. This year’s recipient will be introduced at the event.
The event will also feature remarks from state Rep. Claire Snyder-Hall. New CAMP Rehoboth Executive Director Dr. Robin Brennan and Blade editor Kevin Naff will also speak. The event is generously sponsored by Realtor Justin Noble, The Avenue Inn & Spa, and Diego’s.
A suggested donation of $25 is partially tax deductible and includes a drink ticket and light appetizers. Tickets are available in advance at bladefoundation.org/rehoboth or at the door.
District of Columbia
Curve magazine honors Washington Blade publisher
Lynne Brown named to 2026 Power List
Washington Blade Publisher Lynne Brown has been named to the 2026 Curve Power List celebrating LGBTQ+ women and nonbinary individuals in North America who are blazing trails in their chosen fields.
“From sports and entertainment icons to corporate leaders and lawmakers, these individuals are breaking barriers, challenging norms, and shaping the future,” Curve Foundation/Curve magazine said in announcing this year’s list, which includes ABC newscaster Robin Roberts, comedian/actress Hannah Einbinder, and singer/actress Renee Rapp, among others.
Brown has worked for the Washington Blade for nearly 40 years. She was named publisher in 2007 before becoming a co-owner in 2010.
“I am honored to be recognized by Curve magazine during Lesbian Visibility Week,” Brown said. “Receiving this Curve honor is twofold. I was an early subscriber to Curve. I enjoy the product and know its history. Its journalism, layout and humorous features have inspired me.
“As an owner/publisher, receiving recognition from a similar source acknowledges my work and efforts, with a sincerity I truly appreciate. Franco Stevens, the publisher of Curve, is a business person of duration, experience, and purpose. The fact that they are in the media business, and honoring me and my publication makes it a tiny bit sweeter.”
Nominations for the Curve Power List come from the community: peers, mentors, fans, and employers.
Curve explained the significance of the list in its announcement: “An annual, publicly nominated list of impactful LGBTQ+ women and nonbinary changemakers is crucial in current times to counter discrimination, legislative rollbacks, hostility, and the invisibility of queer women within mainstream and marginal spaces and endeavors. Such a list also fosters encouragement and solidarity, and elevates voices and achievements—from high-profile roles to under appreciated areas of life.”
Rehoboth Beach
Auction of Rehoboth’s Blue Moon canceled
Details on sale of iconic bar, restaurant not disclosed
The Blue Moon in Rehoboth Beach, Del., has been an iconic presence in the local LGBTQ community for four decades but its status remains murky after a sheriff’s auction of the property was abruptly called off on Tuesday.
The property was listed for sale in December. At that time, owner Tim Ragan told the Blade that he is committed to preserving its legacy as a gay-friendly space.
“We had no idea the interest this would create,” Ragan said in December. “I guess I was a little naive about that.”
Ragan explained that he and longtime partner Randy Haney were separating the real estate from the business. The two buildings associated with the sale were listed by Carrie Lingo at 35 Baltimore Ave., and include an apartment, the front restaurant (6,600 square feet with three floors and a basement), and a secondary building (roughly 1,800 square feet on two floors). They were listed for $4.5 million.
The bar and restaurant business is being sold separately; the price was not publicly disclosed.
But then, earlier this year, the Blue Moon real estate listing turned up on the Sussex County Sheriff’s Office auction site. The auction was slated for Tuesday, April 21 but hours before the sale, the listing changed to “active under contract” indicating that a buyer has been found but the sale is not yet final. As of Wednesday morning, the listing has been removed from the sheriff’s auction site.
Ragan didn’t respond to Blade inquiries about the auction. Back in December, he told the Blade, “It’s time to look for the next people who can continue the history of the Moon and cultivate the next chapter,” noting that he turns 70 this year. “We’re not panicked; we separated the building from the business. Some buyers can’t afford both.”
The identity of the buyer was not disclosed, nor was the sale price.
Rehoboth Summer Kickoff Party set for May 15 with Ashley Biden
Curve magazine honors Washington Blade publisher
Auction of Rehoboth’s Blue Moon canceled
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