A Mark Takano Congressional win would
help maintain gay representation in Congress as two members move on,
gay weekly The
Washington Blade reported.
The openly gay Japanese-American Takano
is the only Democrat running in a newly-created Democratic-leaning
district in California.
If elected next fall, he would become
the first openly gay person of color elected to Congress.
“The significance of that achievement
is the unique voice that an openly gay member of Congress of color
can bring to the House floor and the House committee rooms,” Takano
told the paper. “It's a double-awareness of what it means to be
vulnerable.”
Takano, 51, said he would support
passage of the Employment Non-Discriminatory Act (ENDA), which would
bar workplace discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender
identity, and the Uniting American Families Act (UAFA), which would
allow gay Americans to sponsor an immigrant partner for citizenship.
He also would support repeal of the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA),
the law that bars federal agencies from recognizing the legal
marriages of gay and lesbian couples.
Takano's bid comes as two openly gay
House members – Massachusetts Rep. Barney Frank and Wisconsin Rep.
Tammy Baldwin – have announced they'll be moving on. Frank
announced in November his retirement. Baldwin
is running for the U.S. Senate.
Takano's Republican rival is Riverside
County Supervisor John Tavaglione.