NEW YORK (AP) — Of the four openly gay members of Congress, the two longest-serving stalwarts are vacating their seats. Instead of fretting, their activist admirers are excited about a record number of gays vying to win seats in the next Congress — and to make history in the process. When the oaths of office are taken in January, Congress could have its first openly gay Asian-American, Mark Takano of California; its first openly bisexual member, Kyrsten Sinema of Arizona; and its first openly gay senator, Tammy Baldwin of Wisconsin. In all, eight openly gay candidates are running as major-party nominees for the House of Representatives, the most ever, including the two incumbents who are favored in their races — Democrats Jared Polis of Colorado and David Cicilline of Rhode Island. There's one gay Republican in the group, Richard Tisei, who is waging a competitive campaign for a House seat from Massachusetts. A common denominator in all the races: Neither the gay candidates nor their rivals are stressing sexual orientation, and the oft-heard refrain is, "It's not an issue." If anti-gay innuendo does surface from lower echelons of a campaign, there are swift disavowals — even conservative candidates these days think twice about being depicted as biased against gays and lesbians. "People know that bigotry is bad politics," said Democrat Sean Patrick Maloney, a former adviser to President Bill Clinton who is trying to oust one-term Republican Nan Hayworth from New York's 18th District in the Hudson Valley. Maloney, who'd be the first openly gay member of Congress from New York, has assailed Hayworth for not supporting federal recognition of same-sex marriage, but says voters are focused on economic and health care issues, not on gay rights. The veterans departing from the House are Barney Frank, D-Mass., perhaps the most powerful gay in elective office who is retiring after 16 terms, and Baldwin, who is vacating her House seat after seven terms to run for the Senate. Recent polls show her running slightly ahead of her GOP opponent, former Wisconsin Gov. Tommy Thompson.
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Jury in Arias trial adjourns for day after impasse
Convicted killer Jodi Arias speaks during an interview at the Maricopa County Estrella Jail on Tuesday, May 21, 2013, in Phoenix. Arias was convicted recently of killing her former boyfriend Travis Alexander in his suburban Phoenix home back in 2008, made a plea for life in prison, instead of execution, saying she can contribute to society if allowed to live. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)
PHOENIX (AP) -- Jurors in the Jodi Arias murder trial said yesterday they were unable to reach a unanimous verdict on whether she should be sentenced to life in prison or death for killing her one-time boyfriend, prompting the judge to instruct them
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Okla. tornado damage: Thousands of homes, $1.5-$2B in damage
MOORE, Okla. (AP) -- The tornado that struck an Oklahoma City suburb this week may have created $2 billion or more in damage as it tore through as many as 13,000 homes, multiple schools and a hospital, officials said Wednesday as they gave the first
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Medical examiner: 24 dead in Oklahoma twister
MOORE, Okla. (AP) — Search-and-rescue crews worked through the night after a monstrous tornado barreled through the Oklahoma City suburbs, demolishing an elementary school and reducing homes to piles of splintered wood. At least 24 people were killed
Continued ... - At least 51 dead as huge tornado levels Oklahoma City suburb
- Tornado hits Oklahoma; death toll at 51
- Monday, May 20, 2013
- Tornadoes hit Kansas, Oklahoma
- Obama exhorts good deeds by Morehouse grads
- Small Fla. city wonders who won Powerball jackpot
- Saturday, May 18, 2013
- News in Brief
- Dark, massive asteroid to fly by Earth on May 31
- Friday, May 17, 2013
- Authorities arrest man in Idaho in terrorism case
- Mom chases down child abductor, man arrested
- Texas tornado devastation includes Habitat homes
- NJ terror defendants' claims 'fanciful', feds say
- Thursday, May 16, 2013
- Jurors find killer eligible for death penalty
- Tuesday, May 14, 2013
- OJ returns to Las Vegas court
- Roller coaster to be removed from ocean in NJ
- Popular psychologist Joyce Brothers dead at 85
- Monday, May 13, 2013
- Abortion doctor guilty in 3 babies' deaths
- Sunday, May 12, 2013
- Va. woman has no regrets over role in burial
- Pinning down the physics of bubbles
- Pakistan's Sharif declares election victory
- For Cleveland 3, ordeal of recovery begins
- Seeking re-election, Imelda extends Marcos dynasty
- Spacewalking repair halts station leak , for now
- Friday, May 10, 2013
- Feds: Hackers stole $45M
- Around the World & Nation
- Ohio captive suffered 5 miscarriages
- Thursday, May 9, 2013
- Ex-US official details Libya attack
- Alleged captor of 3 missing women charged with rape and kidnapping
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