Local
Hubbard, Day earn high ratings
Republican Day overall liked, but lost points over support of vouchers for Religious schools
Republican Timothy Day. (Courtesy photo)
Democratic activist and attorney Drew Hubbard and gay Republican Timothy Day, an accountant, received the highest ratings on LGBT-related issues from the Gay and Lesbian Activists Alliance in their race for the city’s Ward 5 City Council seat.
Eleven candidates – nine Democrats, one Republican, and one independent – are competing in a special election scheduled for May 15. The election was called to fill the seat after incumbent Council member Harry Thomas Jr. (D-Ward 5) resigned earlier this year after being indicted on an embezzlement charge.
Hubbard received a GLAA rating of +5.5. Day received a +5.0 rating. GLAA rates candidates on a scale of +10, the highest possible rating, to -10, the lowest rating.
The group bases its ratings on candidates’ responses to a questionnaire and their record on LGBT-related issues.
In a statement released with the ratings, GLAA said Hubbard agreed with GLAA on every issue it raised in its questionnaire but added, “He did not display the depth of knowledge in his responses that we like and he does not have a strong record; but the content of his responses was better than that of his rivals. This is a good rating for a first-time candidate.”
The group said Day generally agrees with GLAA on most issues and his record on issues of concern to GLAA is “mixed, but overall positive.” But GLAA said Day lost points by expressing support for publicly funded vouchers for private schools, something GLAA opposes on grounds that private religious schools are exempt from the city’s human rights law and are free to discriminate on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity.
GLAA said Day also lost points for “openly” opposing medical marijuana cultivation centers in Ward 5 under the city’s recent action legalizing medical marijuana.
The group assigned these ratings to the remaining candidates:
• Kenyan McDuffie (Democrat), +4
• Rae Zapata (Democrat), +2
• Ron Magnus (Democrat), +1.5
• Delano Hunter (Democrat), +0.5
• John Cheeks (Independent), 0
• Shelly Gardner (Democrat), 0
• Kathy Henderson (Democrat), 0
• Ruth Marshall (Democrat), 0
• Frank Wilds (Democrat), 0
GLAA said the candidates receiving a “0” rating failed to return the group’s questionnaire and the group was unaware of their record on LGBT issues. It says it assigns a zero rating to all candidates that don’t return the questionnaire and have an unknown record on LGBT issues.
The GLAA questionnaire responses of the Ward 5 candidates are available for viewing at GLAA.org. Their responses to another LGBT related questionnaire from the Gertrude Stein Democratic Club, the city’s largest LGBT political group, can be viewed at steindemocrats.org.
Virginia
Va. LG opposed marriage equality affirmation bill in handwritten note
Winsome Earle-Sears constitutionally required to sign HB 174 as Senate president
Virginia Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears last year in a handwritten note indicated her opposition to marriage rights for same-sex couples when she signed a bill that affirmed marriage equality in the state.
Brandon Jarvis of Virginia Scope on May 1 published Earle-Sears’s note on House Bill 174, which state Del. Rozia Henson, a Prince William County Democrat who is gay, introduced.
The Virginia Senate passed HB 174 by a 22-17 vote margin, and the state constitution required Earle-Sears to sign it as the chamber’s president. Republican Gov. Glenn Youngkin signed the measure into law after it received bipartisan support.
“As the lieutenant governor, I recognize and respect my constitutional obligation to adhere to procedures set out in the constitution of Virginia,” wrote Earle-Sears in her note. “However, I remain morally opposed to the content of HB 174 as passed by the General Assembly.”
Earle-Sears, a former U.S. Marine who served in the Virginia House of Delegates from 2002-2004, in 2021 became the first woman elected Virginia’s lieutenant governor. Activists have criticized her for her opposition to LGBTQ rights in Virginia.
She sparked controversy last year when she misgendered state Sen. Danica Roem (D-Manassas), who is transgender, on the Senate floor. Earle-Sears has also spoken at the Conservative Political Action Conference.
Earle-Sears is running to succeed Youngkin as governor once his term ends in January 2026. She will likely face former U.S. Rep. Abigail Spanberger, a Democrat who previously represented Virginia’s 7th Congressional District.
John Reid, a conservative talk show host who is openly gay, last month secured the Republican nomination to succeed Earle-Sears as lieutenant governor. Youngkin has called for Reid to end his campaign amid reports that he posted “pornographic content” on social media.
Reid has strongly denied the reports.
World Pride 2025
D.C. liquor board extends drinking hours for WorldPride
Gay bars, other liquor-serving establishments can stay open 24 hours
D.C.’s Alcoholic Beverage and Cannabis Board, which regulates liquor sales for the city’s bars, restaurants, nightclubs, and other establishments licensed to serve alcoholic beverages, has approved extended hours for alcohol service and sales during the days when most WorldPride events will be held in the nation’s capital.
In a May 2 announcement, the Alcoholic Beverage and Cannabis Administration, which works with the board, said the extended liquor serving and sales hours for WorldPride will take place beginning Friday, May 30, through 4 a.m. Monday, June 9.
Although the official schedule for WorldPride events shows the events will take place May 17-June 8, most of the large events, including a two-day Pride street festival, parade, and concert, were expected to take place between May 30 and June 8.
According to the ABCA announcement and an ABCA spokesperson, liquor servicing establishments with the appropriate license can stay open for 24 hours and serve alcoholic beverages from 6 a.m. through the day and evening until 4 a.m., with no liquor sales allowed from 4 a.m. to 6 a.m. during the May 30-June 9 period.
The ABCA announcement says liquor serving establishments must apply for the extended hours option and pay a $100 registration fee by a deadline on May 27.
Sources familiar with the liquor board have said the board has for many years approved the extension of liquor serving and sales hours for important events and for certain holidays such as New Year’s Eve.
At the time it approved the extended hours for WorldPride the liquor board also approved extended hours during the time when games for a World Cup soccer tournament will be held in the city on June 18, June 22, and June 26.
It couldn’t immediately be determined how many of D.C.’s 22 LGBTQ bars plan to apply for the extended drinking hours. David Perruzza, owner of the Adams Morgan gay bar Pitchers and its adjoining lesbian bar A League of Her Own, said he will apply for the 4 a.m. extended hours option but he does not intend to keep the two bars open for the full 23 hours.
Under the city’s current alcoholic beverage regulations, licensed liquor serving establishments may serve alcoholic beverages until 2 a.m. on weekdays and 3 a.m. on weekends.
World Pride 2025
Episcopal bishop to speak at WorldPride human rights conference
Trump demanded apology from Mariann Edgar Budde over post-Inauguration sermon
The Right Rev. Mariann Edgar Budde is among those who are scheduled to speak at the WorldPride 2025 Human Rights Conference that will take place from June 4-6.
Budde, who is the bishop of the Diocese of Washington, in January urged President Donald Trump “to have mercy” on LGBTQ people, immigrants, and others “who are scared right now” during a post-Inauguration service that he and Vice President JD Vance attended at the Washington National Cathedral. Trump criticized Budde’s comments and demanded an apology.
The Right Rev. Mariann Edgar Budde speaks at the Washington National Cathedral on Jan. 21, 2025. (PBS NewsHour clip)
A press release the Washington Blade received notes Icelandic Industries Minister Hanna Katrín Friðriksson, UK Black Pride founder Phyll Opoku-Gyimah, and Bob the Drag Queen are among those who are also expected to participate in the conference.
The conference will take place at the JW Marriott (1331 Pennsylvania Ave., N.W.) and registration is open here.
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