The Human Rights Campaign and the Log Cabin Republicans have criticized a negative ad by the Democratic Party of Montana that is widely seen as bringing into question the sexual orientation of Republican State Sen. Mike Taylor.
Last week, Taylor ended his bid for the U.S. Senate against incumbent Sen. Max Baucus, D-Mont., citing the effect of the ad.
"HRC deplores any attempt to make a political issue of a candidate's real or perceived sexual orientation," said HRC Political Director Winnie Stachelberg. "This type of ad has no place in politics, it is an affront to gay people and we hope we have seen the last of this campaign tactic."
The DSCC issued a statement in an attempt to clarify the issue: "We emphatically deny that the ad creates any inference whatsoever about Mr. Taylor's sexual orientation. It was never our intention to make any allegations other than to provide evidence that he engaged in very questionable business practices. Neither the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, nor the Democratic candidates it supports, condone discrimination based on sexual orientation. Nor do we condone the use of political words or images that have the effect of demeaning people based on their sexual orientation."
"My question is, 'What's wrong with being a gay male hairdresser?'" said Leigh-Ann Whitworth, a beautician in Butte and vice president of the Montana State Cosmetology Association, to the Billings Gazette. "I don't understand what being a gay male hairdresser has to do with being a good U.S. senator. This whole thing seems silly to me."