National
Behind the scenes of the Obama campaign
LGBT staffers take key roles in 2012 effort
President Obama (Blade file photo by Michael Key)
[Editor’s note: This is the second of a two-part series.]
Gay and lesbian staffers have taken key roles ranging from public outreach to battleground state strategy in the campaign already underway to re-elect President Obama to the White House in 2012.
The Washington Blade interviewed four gay and lesbian staffers working to re-elect Obama from the campaign headquarters in Chicago. This article is the second in a two-part series and features interviews with two of the campaign workers: Jamie Citron, LGBT vote director for Project Vote, and Karine Jean-Pierre, deputy battleground states director.
As LGBT vote director for Project Vote, Citron, who’s 28 and gay, is focused on monitoring the news developments and needs of the LGBT community. Established in August, Project Vote is the Obama campaign’s initiative aimed at encouraging participation among Democratic base constituencies, including LGBT Americans.
“Usually when I first make it into the office, it’s trying to catch up on the community,” Citron said. “It’s seeing what the conversations are, what the buzz was overnight on the listservs. It’s about reading the blogs and reading the LGBT press and seeing what the top lines of the stories are today.”
Other daily duties for Citron are meeting with the rest of the Project Vote team to discuss the best ways for taking the Obama campaign’s messages to the Democratic Party’s constituencies — as well as integrating the concerns of those constituencies into the campaign.
“Most important to me in my mind, each of us kind of figures out how we can work together across constituencies and make sure that we are engaging people as whole people instead of just focusing on one block at a time,” Citron said.
Citron’s role with the Obama campaign is similar to his previous role at the Democratic National Committee, where he served as director of the LGBT leadership council. Citron, who was also involved in the 2008 campaign, said he transferred back to the campaign to take a more direct role in the “engine working the campaign” to re-elect Obama.
A Chicago native, Citron said he also wanted to return to the Windy City to be closer to his boyfriend of three years, Tyler, who’s 30 and a lawyer living in the area. The two met in 2007 at an Obama fundraiser. Citron asked that Tyler’s last name be withheld.
The scope of Jean-Pierre’s role is somewhat larger as she develops campaign strategy for the battleground states in 2012. A key task: providing resources to states and figuring out the best way for them to get the word out for the campaign.
“To me, getting the president re-elected right now is the most important thing that I can be doing with my life,” Jean-Pierre said.
Jean-Pierre’s role is similar to her duties in 2008 as the Obama campaign’s southern political director. Upon Obama’s election, Jean-Pierre, a lesbian, became White House liaison to the Labor Department and later became regional director in the White House Office of Political Affairs.
For Jean-Pierre, the decision to work as part of the 2012 campaign as opposed to staying at the White House was an easy one.
Under the Obama administration, the LGBT community has seen significant achievements, including passage an expanded federal hate crimes law and repeal of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.” In February, Obama declared that the Defense of Marriage Act is unconstitutional — after initially defending the anti-gay law in court — and has been filing legal briefs against the statute.
Still, Obama has yet to fulfill all promises to the LGBT community on which he campaigned in 2008. One notable outstanding goal is passage of the Employment Non-Discrimination Act. Obama’s lack of support of same-sex marriage continues to disappoint LGBT advocates.
But those working on the Obama campaign maintain has been a friend to the community and will continue to be an LGBT advocate during a second term in office.
As a recent example of support, Citron cited the news of the Obama administration reasserting that DOMA is unconstitutional in a legal brief against the anti-gay statute in the case of Windsor v. United States as well as an announcement that the Department of Homeland Security will work to take foreign nationals in same-sex relationships out of the deportation pipeline.
“I think the conversation between the LGBT community and the president certainly has been robust over the three years, and I think a lot of good things have come out about it,” Citron said. “Is the conversation finished? No. But I think it’s important that we acknowledge all that has come out from that and all that continues to come out.”
Campaign workers may also have their work cut out for them in convincing the general public to send the president back to the White House. According to recent polls, Obama’s approval ratings are at an all-time low. A Gallup poll published over the weekend found the president’s approval rating stands at just 42 percent.
Citron maintained LGBT people should be part of the effort to re-elect Obama.
“I think that the LGBT community could agree with me when I say I know that a second Obama term means more forward progress, whereas with a Republican entering the White House in 2012, not only does that signal the end to that progress, but it signals the start of a backwards march,” Citron said. “I think that’s something we should all be concerned about.”
Florida
Gay Fla. Democrat Elijah Manley sees opportunity in Trump’s second term
State’s 20th Congressional District’s includes Broward, Palm Beach Counties
Just over two and a half miles from President Donald Trump’s primary residence lies one of Florida’s most reliably Democratic congressional districts. There, a 27-year-old progressive is mounting a campaign centered on resisting what he calls the Trump-Vance administration’s attacks on civil rights, immigrants, and LGBTQ Americans.
Elijah Manley, an openly gay Democrat, sat down with the Washington Blade to discuss why he is running for Florida’s 20th Congressional District, why he believes this moment calls for a new generation of leadership, and what he hopes to accomplish if elected to Congress.
Born and raised in Fort Lauderdale’s historic Sistrunk neighborhood — the city’s oldest African American community — Manley was raised by a single mother who struggled to make ends meet. His family experienced housing insecurity and, at one point, homelessness, experiences he says continue to shape both his politics and his policy priorities.
For Manley, those experiences are precisely what he believes Congress is missing.
“I think now the country is in need of somebody like me, with my story, my lived experience, the struggles I’ve been through in my life. We’re going through a really dark time in the country with the Trump administration coming for our civil rights and an economy that is not working for everybody. In a time where we have MAGA fascism, we need progressive leadership, and we need people who are really going to do the work of fighting back and resisting and obstructing Donald Trump and MAGA Republicans’ agenda in Congress.”
Manley said his campaign is also about ensuring people from marginalized communities — those without wealth, political connections, or institutional backing — have a voice in Congress.
“I think my story sets me aside from everyone else. I’m the only one in this race who has a story to tell voters that lines up with their lived experiences and their struggles. Growing up in poverty and experiencing homelessness was instrumental in developing my worldview and how I fight for people, and I think that’s something that’s absent on Capitol Hill.”
He argues that lived experience offers a perspective often missing on Capitol Hill.
“There are too many lawyers and people coming from professional and political backgrounds. Then you have somebody like me who is rooted in the story of this district. That’s what sets me apart from everyone else in this race.”
According to his campaign website, Manley’s interest in public service dates back to childhood. He cites the election of President Barack Obama as a defining moment that inspired him to pursue politics.
“He was inspired by Barack Obama’s historic election, igniting his passion for public service. He began writing to elected officials, speaking at school board and city council meetings, and advocating for issues affecting his community,” the website states. It goes on to describe his involvement in criminal justice and law magnet programs, Navy JROTC, and hundreds of hours of volunteer service while in high school.
As an openly gay candidate running during Trump’s second administration, Manley said Congress must take a far more aggressive approach to protecting LGBTQ Americans, particularly as Republican-led states continue passing restrictions targeting transgender people.
“I think we need to bring the hammer down on some of these states. I’m not one of these states’ rights people — Congress has the power to preempt laws that states pass through the Supremacy Clause. There’s never been a more important time in our history when we’re seeing fascism, we’re seeing an administration out of control, and we need Congress to act.”
His campaign has also drawn criticism from both Republicans and establishment Democrats for his positions on Gaza, immigration, and his call to abolish U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
Manley said abolishing ICE does not mean eliminating immigration enforcement altogether.
“I’m not saying there should be no immigration laws. We want laws around immigration, but we want dignity. We don’t need a hypermilitarized, paramilitary group chasing people through the streets, terrorizing communities, churches, schools, and families.”
His personal experiences also inform his healthcare agenda.
“When we talk about healthcare, my experience growing up on Medicaid is seeing the failure of the government to expand Medicaid here in Florida, and now we’re seeing cuts from the Trump administration. I’m not just looking at statistics or numbers on paper — this is based on lived experience. I know how the people in this district are going to be hurt by these policies because I’ve lived it.”
California Democratic Congressman Ro Khanna, who has generated early buzz as a potential 2028 presidential contender for his “progressive capitalist” approach to governing, has endorsed Manley’s campaign, giving the first-time congressional candidate one of his highest-profile endorsements.
Manley faces six other Democrats in the primary, including U.S. Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz and former U.S. Rep. Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick, along with four Republican candidates in the general election field. Cherfilus-McCormick resigned from Congress ahead of a potential expulsion and is running again while facing federal criminal charges.
Despite running as the youngest candidate in the field, Manley said he hopes voters leave the race remembering one thing above all else.
“I want people to remember bold and authentic leadership. I want them to know I’m running because I’ve been through what people are going through right now — and it’s not that I’ve been through it, I’m actually still going through it. We need bold people who are going to fight for everybody and stand up for what’s right, and that’s what I hope voters see when they go to the polls.”
Florida
Former Fla. gubernatorial candidate Andrew Gillum arrested on drug charges
Democrat narrowly lost to DeSantis in 2018, later came out as bisexual
Andrew Gillum, the former Democratic nominee for governor of Florida and former mayor of Tallahassee, was arrested on drug possession charges in Alabama last week.
Police in Daphne, Ala., said they pulled Gillum over for erratic driving and found marijuana and methamphetamine in his vehicle. He was charged with possession of marijuana and unlawful possession of a controlled substance, according to the Daphne Police Department. Jail records show he was arrested on July 2 and released on July 3, the Associated Press reports.
Gillum, the first Black nominee of a major political party for governor in Florida, lost the 2018 election to current Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis in a highly contentious race.
Once considered a rising star in national politics, Gillum served in Tallahassee’s local government, first as a city commissioner and then as mayor of Florida’s capital from 2014- 2018.
The Daphne Police Department said officers stopped Gillum’s vehicle around 10:45 p.m. and initiated a probable cause search after one officer noticed a glass pipe on the center console.
During the search, officers found several rolled marijuana cigarettes and three packages containing a substance that tested positive for methamphetamine, police said.
The day after his arrest he was charged with possession of dangerous drugs, use or possession of drug paraphernalia, and possession of marijuana.
In 2020, Gillum was involved in a similar incident when he was found in a Miami Beach, Fla., hotel room with a man identified as an escort who had apparently overdosed on drugs. Police also found three bags of suspected crystal methamphetamine in the room. The man survived, and no one was ever charged with a crime.
Later that year, Gillum came out as bisexual during an appearance on “The Tamron Hall Show,” where he discussed his struggles with drug and alcohol addiction and his decision to seek treatment following the 2020 incident.
In the same interview he shed light onto this, saying his substance use was a byproduct of the emotional struggles he experienced after losing the 2018 gubernatorial race to DeSantis.
This is not the first time Gillum has faced legal scrutiny.
During his 2014 mayoral campaign, he faced allegations of misconduct after hiring private equity investor Adam Corey as his campaign treasurer, raising questions about a potential conflict of interest. However, the FBI ultimately concluded there was no conflict of interest.
Pennsylvania
Philadelphia murder suspect remains at large
Two killed, one injured in attacks motivated by victims’ sexual orientation
Police seek the public’s support in finding a suspect wanted in connection with three Philadelphia shootings, including two murders, who may have targeted his victims because they were gay. All three shootings took place near Hunting Park Recreation Center between May 29 and June 26.
The suspect is 21-year-old Jahylin Melchur, who has not been located by police and is not in police custody as of July 7. Police seek the public’s support in tracking down the suspect, whose image was captured on surveillance cameras. Previous reporting underlined that Melchur should be considered armed and dangerous.
Each of the victims was found partially clothed between 10 and 11 p.m.
On May 29, a 55-year-old in Juniata Park was found two miles from the rec center. The victim, who survived the encounter with critical injuries, said a man approached him and announced his intention to rob him, before shooting him in the elbow and torso.
Martin Higgins, 45, was pronounced dead on the bleachers of the rec center’s baseball field on June 20, suffering from a gunshot wound to the abdomen. Sharef Holman, 29, was found near the basketball courts on June 26, suffering from multiple gunshot wounds. He was transported to Temple University Hospital but died shortly thereafter.
Deputy Police Commissioner Frank Vanore declined to answer the Philadelphia Inquirer’s question regarding whether the victims may have met Melchur on a dating app, citing the ongoing investigation. Sources told the Philadelphia Inquirer that investigators are exploring this possibility
Although robbery may be at least part of the motive in the first shooting, other movies are unclear.
NBC10 reported that law enforcement sources told the station all three victims were targeted because they were gay, but the Philadelphia Police Department did not confirm this.
The Philadelphia Police Department replied to PGN’s questions with an email stating, “This remains a very active investigation, and investigators are looking at all aspects of the case, including underlying motivations for committing these crimes.
“At this point, we can confirm that Melchur is wanted for two homicides by shooting and one non-fatal shooting, all of which occurred in the Hunting Park area.
“The investigation has not established that the victims were specifically targeted because of their sexual orientation.”
The Philadelphia Police Department is urging anyone with information to contact the Homicide Unit at 215-686-3334 or submit an anonymous tip by calling the PPD Tip Line at 215-686-TIPS (8477).
(This story is republished with permission of the Philadelphia Gay News.)
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