Carlos Gimenez is wasting no time
gearing up for his re-election run in 2012. As the mayor makes the rounds promoting his first county budget, his political action
committee Common Sense Now is hard at work twisting arms and raising
money.
But a prominent Republican Brickell
Avenue attorney could end up costing Gimenez gay and
lesbian voters who cast ballots for him this past June 28.
On Monday, Gimenez is the guest of honor for a fundraiser hosted by Al Cardenas, chairman of the American Conservative Union. The ACU recently informed the gay conservative political organization GOProud that it can't be a part of the 2012 annual conference.
There's also Cardenas's wife, Diana, who thinks being gay is the same as having a disability or an illness.
Diana's enlightened opinions on homosexuals earned her a sharp rebuke from Miami's leading gay activist group SAVE Dade: "For the sake of moving forward with bridging the divide in our community, and bringing together all minorities, be it ethnic, racial or religious, Mrs. Cardenas should temper her offensive and disgusting remarks."
ISave DADE endorsed Gimenez over former Hialeah Mayor Julio Robaina in the mayoral run-off this past June 28. On its website, the group explains: "Commissioner Gimenez has a proven track record of support for LGBT equality and cares about protecting all people from discrimination regardless of sexual orientation and gender identity." The group also noted that Gimenez has a lesbian relative so he understands "the difficulties that people who are LGBT face on a regular basis."
Cardenas's firm lost a hotly contested bid to be on the county's federal lobbying team this past February. So the former state Republlcan chairman is dialing and emailing for dollars on Gimenez's behalf. How many Republican donors are going to say no?
So when Gimenez shows up for the fundraiser, Banana Republican seriously doubts the mayor will take the opportunity to call on Cardenas to apologize for his wife's offensive remarks and to reconsider allowing GOProud to participate in the ACU's conference.
Follow Miami New Times on Facebook and Twitter @MiamiNewTimes.
Diana's enlightened opinions on homosexuals earned her a sharp rebuke from Miami's leading gay activist group SAVE Dade: "For the sake of moving forward with bridging the divide in our community, and bringing together all minorities, be it ethnic, racial or religious, Mrs. Cardenas should temper her offensive and disgusting remarks."
ISave DADE endorsed Gimenez over former Hialeah Mayor Julio Robaina in the mayoral run-off this past June 28. On its website, the group explains: "Commissioner Gimenez has a proven track record of support for LGBT equality and cares about protecting all people from discrimination regardless of sexual orientation and gender identity." The group also noted that Gimenez has a lesbian relative so he understands "the difficulties that people who are LGBT face on a regular basis."
Cardenas's firm lost a hotly contested bid to be on the county's federal lobbying team this past February. So the former state Republlcan chairman is dialing and emailing for dollars on Gimenez's behalf. How many Republican donors are going to say no?
So when Gimenez shows up for the fundraiser, Banana Republican seriously doubts the mayor will take the opportunity to call on Cardenas to apologize for his wife's offensive remarks and to reconsider allowing GOProud to participate in the ACU's conference.
Follow Miami New Times on Facebook and Twitter @MiamiNewTimes.
