Phil Reese, November 23, 2009--It may defy all reason, but it seems that the Republican party may be the first political party to make an openly gay Governor—or at least Lieutenant Governor.

Moderate Republican Charlie Barker, former President and CEO of Harvard Pilgrim Health Care, has tapped his campaign chairman, openly gay Massachusetts Senate Minority Leader Richard Tisei to be his running-mate in the Republican primaries this winter.  According to the Boston Globe, while the 47 year old Tisei’s sexuality has been an open secret in Boston since the early 1990s, he only came out officially on the 19^th of November, after it came to light he was front-runner among those jockeying to be Barker’s running-mate.  Regardless of the revelation, Barker chose Tisei anyway, and if they win the Republican ticket together, they’ll be squaring off against Governor Deval Patrick and former Democrat, Treasurer Timothy Cahill in a three-way 2010 election.

The announcement made waves today, and the Boston Herald reports that Deval Patrick's sitting Lieutenant Governor, Timothy Murray, immediately criticized Tisei as "the ultimate Beacon Hill insider."  He also criticized Baker's own record on financial gluttony, being part of the former Republican administrations that racked up galactic amounts of debt for Massachusetts taxpayers on the "Big Dig" highway tunnel project in Boston.

Cahill’s presence in the race will split the Democratic ticket, which could mean a stronger showing for a Republican in the race.  Adding to the mayhem is Governor Deval Patrick’s lower approval ratings, and less than stellar popularity.

Before they get there, however, they will face off against owner of the Christy’s Markets convenience store chain, Christy Mihos in the Republican Primaries.  Mihos ran as an independent in the 2006 Governor’s race choosing a notable Democrat as his running mate, and has made a name for himself as an outspoken Vice Chairman of the Massachusetts Turnpike Authority, who has been out for a long time as pro-choice and pro-marriage equality, as well as being in support of same-sex couples’ adoption rights.  Baker’s selection of Tisei may well have something to do with shoring-up his moderate supporters.

Barker, a fiscal conservative, made the running-mate announcement on Twitter this morning.  Tisei—who joined the Massachusetts Senate at the young age of 22—played a key role in defending Marriage Equality in Massachusetts when social conservatives pushed for lawmakers to create a Constitutional amendment barring it after the Massachusetts Supreme Court struck down the marriage ban in 2003.

Without a doubt, pundits will be speculating in the next few days whether or not lesbians and gays will feel compelled to support a ticket with an openly gay candidate.  Though in Massachusetts—as it is in all states—lesbians and gays tend to vote overwhelmingly Democrat, the prospect an openly gay candidate for Lieutenant Governor may be an enticing prospect for affluent white gays in this state with hate crimes protections, mandatory health care for all citizens, lesbian and gay (though not transgender) protection in employment and housing non-discrimination and equal opportunity laws, and full marriage equality.

Republicans in Massachusetts tend to be pro-choice and pro-equality, and are most often Republican for the fiscal conservatism, rather than social conservatism.  Certainly, anti-gay organizations like MassResistance won’t be able to find a ticket to support in this election, as Governor Deval Patrick is an outspoken supporter of LGBT rights.  LGBT organizations may become torn between supporting a long-time LGBT advocate on the Progressive side or an openly gay candidate on the conservative side.

Republicans—who controlled the state of Massachusetts in the earlier part of this decade—are often blamed by Democratic candidates for massive budgetary problems and maintenance deferments of crucial facilities over their time in power, while Republicans blame Democrats for skyrocketing debt in the Bay State.  With both sides so outside of the social conservative arena, debates are likely to focus squarely on the Massachusetts economy, rather than hot-button triggers that often dominate politics in the rest of America.  Look for LGBT conservatives calling for the LGBT community groups and big state organizations like Mass Equality and GLAD to endorse the Republican ticket with the openly gay candidate over the long-time LGBT ally.