Openly gay candidates lose primary races for statewide offices
By Glenn Gullickson

Two openly gay men lost their bids for statewide office in the Arizona primary election on Aug. 24.

Sam Wercinski lost his contest for secretary of state, defeated by Chris Deschene in the Democratic primary. Deschene will face incumbent Republican Ken Bennett in November.

Jason Williams, making his second bid for superintendent of public instruction, lost to Penny Kotterman in the Democratic primary. Kotterman faces Republican John Huppenthal in the general election.

Wercinski and Williams were endorsed by Equality Arizona and the Arizona Stonewall Democrats.

Steve May, the first openly gay Republican elected to the Legislature in 1998, appeared to have been successful in his write-in bid to get on the November ballot for District 17 House. May had backing from the local Log Cabin Republicans.

Jimmy Munoz came in fourth in a field of six candidates for two positions in the District 16 House Democratic primary. Munoz had been endorsed by the Stonewall Democrats.

In the District 2 Senate race in northern Arizona, Jack Jackson won the Democratic primary. He had backing from Equality Arizona.

Other key contests:

• For attorney general, Democrats selected Felecia Rotellini, a former prosecutor who was a regular at major LGBT events this year and was featured at a meet-and-greet with local community leaders. She edged out Rep. David Lujan. Vince Rabago trailed. Equality Arizona and the Stonewall Democrats had endorsed both Rotellini and Lujan.

• For U.S. Senate, Rodney Glassman, former Tucson city councilman, defeated three Democratic opponents for the right to face Sen. John McCain.

• For District 15 House, Katie Hobbs and Lela Alston, a former state senator, won the Democratic primary, defeating Ken Clark. The district covers much of the gayborhood in central Phoenix. All three candidates had been endorsed by Equality Arizona. Clark got the nod from the Stonewall Democrats. Hobbs and Alston are seeking the seats held by Rep. Kyrsten Sinema, who is running for the state Senate, and Lujan. In the general election, Hobbs and Alston face Republicans Caroline Condit and Paul Yoder and Green Party candidate Luisa Valdez.

The general election is Nov. 2. New-voter registration closes on Oct. 4. Voters on the Permanent Early Voting List will get their ballots after Oct. 7. Deadline for applying for early voting is Oct. 22. For information on the Permanent Early Voting List, visit www.servicearizona.com.