The Illinois Republican Party has
dumped a Senate hopeful after making claims that his GOP rival is
gay, CBS News reported.
In a radio ad broadcast Monday, Andy
Martin claimed his 2010 Senate Republican primary opponent, Illinois
Representative Mark Kirk, is gay.
“Illinois Republican leader Jack
Roeser says there is a solid rumor that Kirk is a homosexual,” the
ad says in part. “Roeser suggests Kirk is part of a Republican
Party homosexual club. Lake County Illinois Republican leader Ray
True says Kirk has surrounded himself with homosexuals.”
Martin, a career candidate, has a long
history of controversial statements, including once saying he was
running for Congress to “eliminate Jew power in America.”
Illinois Republicans responded by
dumping Martin from the party.
“His statements today are consistent
with his history of bizarre behavior and often times hate-filled
speech, which has no place in the Illinois Republican Party,” a GOP
statement said.
“Mr. Martin will no longer be
recognized as a legitimate Republican candidate by the Illinois
Republican Party.”
Kirk's congressional record shows he's
a moderate gay ally. He has voted in favor of adding sexual
orientation and gender identity to the list of federal hate crimes
and outlawing discrimination in the workplace, but he has yet to
endorse a bill that would repeal the military's ban on open gay
service.
Through a spokesman, Kirk called the
allegation that he's gay “untrue.”
“The ad is not true and is degrading
to the political process,” Kirk said. “The people of Illinois
deserve better.”
Martin, however, has defended his
actions, saying he is “telling the voters the truth about who Mark
Kirk really is.”
An early December Chicago Tribune
poll ranked Kirk the front-runner among candidates seeking the
Republican party's February 2 Senate nomination.