From: DavidN1327@aol.com Date: Wed, 15 May 1996 15:38:47 -0400 Subject: GLUD news June 1996 NEWS RELEASE For immediate release Wednesday, May 15, 1996 Contact: Gay and Lesbian Utah Democrats Post Office Box 11311 Salt Lake City, Utah 84147-0311 (801)238-2526 (800)648-9996 outside the Salt Lake City calling area Internet: glud@aol.com World Wide Web: http://members.aol.com/glud/ Tear sheet requested a000 rp ^BC-Gay,000< GLUD supporters attend Utah Democratic Primary Convention SALT LAKE CITY - Supporters of the political-action committee Gay and Lesbian Utah Democrats(TM) serve in at least 260 Utah Democratic Party offices including more than 74 delegates who attended the state-party primary convention on May 10 and 11. The number is an all-time record for the group and reflects a 15-percent increase in offices held by its supporters since the 1994 elections. GLUD(TM) leaders announced the results of a seven-week biennial effort to appoint and elect bisexual, gay and lesbian Democrats to serve as county- and state-party officers. GLUD supporters were successful in becoming at least 74 county-convention delegates in three counties, 74 state-convention delegates, 50 voting-precinct officers, 40 county central-committee members, seven state central-committee members, five county-party committee members, five legislative-district officers, four state-party committee members and one national delegate. "The incredible growth in the Democratic Party that we've enjoyed in just four elections shows how bisexual, gay and lesbian people in the state believe that, despite some furtive attempts to the contrary, this party is open to us and our work," GLUD Founder David Nelson said. "No other party in the state can claim it has more bisexual, gay and lesbian support and influence." GLUD leader elected as Democratic National Convention delegate Gay and Lesbian Utah Democrats Founder David Nelson was elected on May 11 at the Utah Democratic Primary Convention to serve in August as a delegate to the Democratic National Convention. He's the second openly gay Democrat from the state to serve as a national-convention delegate. Former GLUD Executive Director Dale Sorenson was a delegate to the Democratic National Convention in 1992. "I'm excited to help a national party and presidential campaign which is more compassionate, more responsive and, ultimately, more successful than ever," Nelson said. "Our job during this campaign is to work harder, smarter and more closely with our Democratic principles than before. We must respond to Bob Dole, Newt Gingrich and Rush Limbaugh and their rhetoric of hate and neglect by showing Americans that we're right and Republicans are wrong." Nelson will serve as a national-convention delegate from the state's 2nd Congressional District, and is a longtime Democratic leader and a member of the state and national Clinton/Gore '96 campaign steering committees. GLUD applauds Utah Democratic platform Delegates at the Utah Democratic Primary Convention on May 10 and 11 adopted a new party platform which expresses Democrats' opinion about several issues and includes the encouragement of government leaders to protect against discrimination and victimization based on sexual orientation among other things. A convention resolution was also adopted which expresses dissatisfaction at recent legislative and educational attempts to restrict bisexual, gay and lesbian student groups in state public-schools. "This platform is the latest of several documents published by the state party since 1990 that supports us and the protection of our equal rights," GLUD Chair Michael Aaron said. "It stands in stark contrast to the 'no special rights' platform which was recently adopted the state Republican Party." GLUD announces Utah Democratic primary-election endorsements and recommendations Bisexual, gay and lesbian voters at the Utah primary election on June 25 are encouraged to support Ross Anderson for the U.S. House of Representatives in the state 2nd Congressional District and Michael Broussard for the Salt Lake County Commission according to Gay and Lesbian Utah Democrats campaign endorsements and recommendations. "The most compelling reasons to vote for Ross Anderson is that his opponent, Kelly Atkinson, vowed to vote to repeal the federal Equal Access Act which protects the equal rights of bisexual, gay and lesbian public-school student groups, and to vote for the federal Defense of Marriage Act which would allow states to ignore the legal marriages of same-sex couples," GLUD Vice Chair Amy Alleman said. "Ross would vote to keep the federal Equal Access Act and against the federal Defense of Marriage Act." GLUD-affilliated delegates at the Utah Democratic Primary Convention on May 10 and 11 also endorsed the re-election campaign of President Clinton and Vice President Gore, and the campaigns of Karen L. Truman for state auditor, Jim Bradley for state governor, Bobbie Coray and DeAnne Hanson for Democratic National Committee member, and Cynthia Cindy Powell Abawi, Barbara Eubanks, Norma Matheson, David Nelson and Alyx S. Pattison for Democratic National Convention delegate. GLUD directors also recommended the campaigns of Randy Horiuchi and Ted Wilson for Democratic National Convention delegate. GLUD-affilliated delegates at the Salt Lake County Democratic Primary Convention on April 20 also endorsed the campaigns of Steve Barth for state representative, Ralph Becker for state representative, Gene Davis for state representative, Jack Elizondo for state representative, Marc Hoenig for state representative, David Jones for state representative, Kent Knowley for state representative, Gary Pratt for state representative, Joyce Zabriskie for state representative and Pete Suazo for state senator. The delegates also voted for no endorsement of the campaigns of Loretta Baca for state representative, Tom Vasiliou for state representative and Scott Howell for state senator. GLUD directors also recommended the campaign of Allan Rushton for state representative. All GLUD endorsements and recommendations are made by a majority vote after reviewing the public records and polling results of and interviews with Democratic and nonpartisan candidates who are campaigning for elected party and public office in the state. New GLUD director appointed Gay Utahn Allen Hose was appointed to serve as a member of the GLUD board of directors at the group's meeting in May as part of the group's ongoing effort to expand its work and success. "Allen has the political experience from two states that is necessary to continue our growth and influential success," GLUD director David Thometz said. "His plans include a detailed analysis of the demographics of bisexual, gay and lesbian Democrats in our key legislative districts." GLUD is the state's largest and most powerful political-action committee that serves as a campaign resource, legislative lobby and political-party caucus for bisexual, gay and lesbian people, and their families and friends. For more information about GLUD, write to Post Office Box 11311, Salt Lake City, Utah 84147-0311 or on the Internet at glud@aol.com, call (801)238-2526 or (800)648-9996, or visit the group's World Wide Web site at http://members.aol.com/glud/.