Local
Gay Del. Senate candidate sets fundraising record
Andy Staton has raised $105,697.39 since he announced his candidacy
Blade photo by Michael K. Lavers
A gay Delaware state Senate candidate on Friday announced he has raised more money than any other first-time political hopeful in a primary election campaign.
Rehoboth Beach Realtor Andy Staton, who would become the first openly LGBT person elected to the state legislature in Delaware if voters elect him to represent the new 6th Senate District in November, said his campaign has raised a record $105,697.39 — more than twice as much as any other candidate — as of Aug. 11. This figure includes the $83,000 he has raised since the beginning of the year.
Staton told the Blade that 70 percent of campaign contributions have been $100 or less.
“I am extraordinarily excited that we have had so many folks from our community stepping out to support the campaign. At the same time I’m humbled by the response,” he said. “People from across the district are responding to ideas. We’re presenting real ideas and real solutions so that we can deliver on solutions as we go forward. And I’m humbled that so many people have chosen to invest in our campaign.”
Governor Jack Markell, House Majority Leader Pete Schwartzkopf (D-Rehoboth Beach,) Senate Majority Leader Patricia Blevins (D-Elsmere) and Rehoboth Beach Commissioners Patricia Coluzzi, Patrick Gossett and Mark Hunker are among the state and local officials who have endorsed Staton. The Victory Fund and the Barbara Gittings Delaware Stonewall Democrats have also backed his campaign.
“The overwhelming support for Andy’s campaign demonstrates that his message of standing up for Delaware families and helping create jobs is resonating with voters,” Chuck Wolfe, president of the Victory Fund, told the Blade. “This is a historic race with the potential of electing the first openly LGBT member of the Delaware legislature. Andy’s leadership is inspiring a lot of people to get involved in this campaign.”
Staton, whose 150 lbs. weight loss garnered national media coverage in Men’s Health and other media outlets, is on the CAMP Rehoboth Leadership Council. He sits on the Sussex Family YMCA’s Board of Governors and serves as an ambassador to the Beebe Medical Foundation that raises funds for an eponymous regional hospital in Lewes.
The triathlete and marathon runner told the Blade that the economy, increasing the number of doctors and other health care professionals in the area, expanding the district’s transportation network and building schools and additional infrastructure to accommodate the additional 100,000 people who are expected to live in Sussex County by 2040 are among his top priorities. Staton said he would also back a same-sex marriage bill if elected.
Markell signed a civil unions law in May 2011 which took effect on Jan. 1. The governor told the Huffington Post earlier this month that he expects Delaware lawmakers could debate marriage rights for same-sex couples as early as next year.
“Marriage equality certainly is very, very important to lots of folks in the community — there seems to be very, very support for that as we go forward,” said Staton. “There’s no doubt that I would in fact support a marriage equality bill.”
Staton will square off against former Dewey Beach Mayor Bob Frederick and former congressional candidate Mike Miller in the Democratic primary on Sept. 11. Lewes resident Ernie Lopez will face against Glen Urquhart, who unsuccessfully ran for Congress in 2010, in the Republican primary.
Staton would campaign against either Lopez or Urquhart in the general election if he defeats Frederick and Miller.
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.
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