Massachusetts Congressman Barney Frank
opposes openly gay GOP congressional hopeful Richard Tisei.
Tisei is running to represent the
people of Massachusetts' Sixth District.
The 49-year-old Tisei announced in a
2009 Boston Globe interview before he was named Charlie
Baker's gubernatorial running mate that he is gay. Baker was
defeated by Democrat Deval Patrick.
If elected, Tisei, a former
Massachusetts state senator, would become the nation's first openly
gay Republican Congressman.
“The fact that Richard Tisei is
openly gay is a good thing,” Frank said Thursday in a conference
call with reporters. “The problem is that is of no use to us.”
Frank explained that Tisei's first vote
would be to keep Ohio Rep. John Boehner as House Speaker. Boehner
opposes efforts to repeal the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA).
Tisei supports repeal, but Frank said
that was not relevant.
“If he is helping them keep the
majority that is irrelevant because the bill will not come up,” the
Boston
Herald quoted Frank as saying.
Tisei has the backing of Boehner, who
attended a fundraiser which took place at the Taj Boston hotel in
June. Three candidates benefited from Boehner's appearance: Tisei,
and Representatives Charles Bass and Frank Guinta of New Hampshire.
Frank is backing the reelection of
fellow Democrat John Tierney.