Voters in Cleveland heading to the
polls Tuesday will consider sending an openly lesbian candidate to
the Ohio Statehouse.
If elected, Nickie J. Antonio would
become the first openly lesbian to be elected to the Ohio House.
Should Antonio, a Lakewood
councilwoman, best her primary rival, Tom Bullock, who also serves on
the city council, she is virtually assured of the position in
November since no other candidates have filed for the seat. (Filing
deadline is Monday, however.)
Both are vying to represent the people
of District 13. The Ohio House district includes portions of
Cleveland's west side and the city of Lakewood, a Democratic-leaning
Cleveland suburb which includes a large gay community.
Antonio was first elected to the
Lakewood City Council in 2005 and chaired the council's Health and
Human Services Committee. Having chaired the NorthCoast HIV/AIDS
Coalition and served as president of the Greater Cleveland Chapter of
the National Organization for Women, she is an avowed champion of
civic engagement.
Antonio has been endorsed by the Gay
& Lesbian Victory Fund, a group that supports openly gay
elected officials and The Plain Dealer, Ohio's largest daily.