LaFontaine loses race to become Florida's first openly gay state legislator

From Miami Herald election coverage:

Despite raising significantly less than her two opponents, former Deerfield Beach Commissioner Gwyn Clarke-Reed won a seat in the state House of Representatives.

The men who were also vying for House District 92, Wilton Manors Mayor Scott Newton and Oakland Park accountant and activist Mark LaFontaine (pictured), traded jabs as the campaign wrapped up.

LaFontaine had hoped to become the state's first openly gay legislator.

A Deerfield Beach commissioner for 12 years, Clarke-Reed will fill the seat held by Jack Seiler, who has to leave because of term limits. It covers several Northeast Broward cities.

STATE REPRESENTATIVE

• DISTRICT 92

63 OF 68 PRECINCTS: 93 %

Gwyndolen Clarke-Reed
3,248
41.1%
Mark LaFontaine
2,161
27.3%
Scott Newton
2,501
31.6%

Comments

[John]

LaFontaine was a flawed candidate. He had too many personal history issues, and no elected political background, to qualify him for the position. Let's not vote for a candidate because he/she's gay, let's vote for the most qualified candidate who happens to be gay.

Another disppointing thing about this election was the failure of all the Dolphin Dems Gay Candidates. They couldn't deliver the votes. Maybe they should start with delivering pizza's.

[jim]

Mark was a great candidate with a compelling story -- US veteran, small business owner, Eagle Scout, etc etc. It's too bad one of his opponents decided to launch a personal attack instead of talking about the issues. That certainly impacted turnout for both of them.

I do agree about the lack of the GLBT community to turn out. We'll progress when we pay attention to what's going on and turn out at the ballot box the way we do at the bars.