Does James’ sexual orientation entice the local LGBT community to give him a longer, more favorable look?

1) He is the only registered Republican in the five-person race.

2) He is the only openly gay candidate.

On a national level these two qualities would appear to be at odds with one another, but this is a mayor’s race in one of the country’s more famed liberal enclaves, and the pairing stokes less concern and more curiosity.

Mainly, does James’ sexual orientation entice the local LGBT community to give him a longer, more favorable look?

According to an interview with The New York Times, James isn’t holding out much hope. “It’s easier coming out gay to Republicans than it is coming out Republican to gays,” he said.

There has been little mention of gay rights issues in the mayoral debates so far, and like many other local voting blocs, the LGBT community is mostly concerned about traffic, infrastructure, and how to make L.A. a more business-friendly place. In an effort to probe James’ prospects, we collected a few thoughts from some members of the local LGBT community.

Tom Watson, 37, cofounder of Love Honor Cherish
My biggest concern in the mayoral race is the Hollywood redevelopment plan. The candidates are proposing to build skyscrapers in Hollywood, which will destroy tourism and worsen traffic. Eric Garcetti and Wendy Greuel are both good at LGBT issues. I am not familiar with Kevin James’ position. I won’t vote for him simply because he is gay. It’s critically important the city has a strong LGBT leader. I will look at him if he demonstrates more than the leading candidates.

Denise L. Eger, 52, founder of Congregation Kol Ami
I guess some might vote for him because he's gay — but he is also a Republican, and my guess is that his politics are more important. He hasn't been very active in the LGBT community other than his work with AIDS Project Los Angeles, so I don't really know if that would sway people's votes or not. Wendy Greuel, Eric Garcetti and Jan Perry have all been very visible and involved with the LGBT community over the years and incredibly supportive, so I don't think that Kevin has any advantage in that regard.

Alyssa Dori, 25, UCLA undergraduate student (history)
My concern is who is going to take L.A. in the best direction with regard to urban development as well as social and artistic development. Having lived in New York and being from L.A., I have seen how much these three things contribute to the economy and help create a sense of community. Honestly, I don’t know much about Kevin James. It’s great he has gotten attention, but I don’t think that the mayor can directly affect LGBT issues in the city. All candidates are extremely friendly to LGBT people. I am not looking at it as an issue. It’s not a primary concern to me.

Raphael Gatchalian, 29, public relations executive
Kevin James’ status as a Republican concerns me. He says his stance on certain social issues such as immigration has “evolved,” but that may be just a ploy to get votes. Running to be the first openly gay mayor of a large city will not in itself help him become mayor. It also concerns me that he is being looked at as some new flag bearer for the Republican party in California and as a way to re-energize them in this state. I don’t think I want to give that party an inroad. Although, I think being fiscally conservative has helped him point out the failures of the people already in office.

Lester Aponte, 52, Vice Chair of Love Honor Cherish
I will vote for an LGBT candidate if their positions are similar to mine, and I feel they are better or similarly qualified as another candidate in the race who may not be LGBT. Kevin James does not have the knowledge or the experience to be mayor of the second largest city in the United States. I also vehemently disagree with his views on unions and social services. For those reasons, I would never consider voting for him, much less over such candidates as Eric Garcetti and Wendy Greuel, who have stood with and fought for LGBT Californians for many years.

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