The leading candidate for the Democratic nomination for Maine’s 2014 Gubernatorial election, who also happens to be a sitting Member of Congress, has announced that he’s gay:
(CNN) - Democratic gubernatorial hopeful and U.S. Representative Mike Michaud of Maine announced Monday he’s gay, writing about his personal life in an opinion piece for newspapers in his state.
If Michaud wins in 2014 and unseats Republican incumbent Gov. Paul LePage, he would become the first openly gay candidate to be elected governor.
The six-term U.S. Congressman’s announcement makes him the 8th openly gay member of Congress, with seven in the House and one in the Senate.
Michaud, who announced he was running for governor in August, says he made his decision to come out in response to “whisper campaigns, insinuations and push-polls” from his political opponents.
“Allow me to save them the trouble with a simple, honest answer: ‘Yes I am. But why should it matter?’” he writes.
He’s not the only “out” candidate running for governor next year. Others include Democratic state Rep. Heather Mizeur in Maryland and independent Todd Giroux in Rhode Island. Both states allow same-sex marriage.
While Michaud says his opinion piece may “seem like a big announcement to some people,” he adds “it’s just a part of who I am, as much as being a third-generation mill worker or a lifelong Mainer.”
“One thing I do know is that it has nothing to do with my ability to lead the state of Maine,” he writes.
Quite honestly, I doubt this is going to hurt him at all in Maine.
