Houston Elects Gay Mayor

Thanks to Annise Parker’s victory in a runoff election Saturday, Houston will become the largest U.S. city to have an openly gay mayor. Parker was the target of anti-gay rhetoric but mobilized gay rights groups in her defense.

The BBC:

Houston has become the largest US city to elect an openly gay mayor.

Annise Parker, the current city controller, won 53.6% in the run-off election, beating fellow Democrat Gene Locke, a former city attorney.

“The voters of Houston have opened the door to history,” Ms Parker told supporters following her victory.

Campaigning ahead of the hotly contested vote in the Texan city, which has a population of 2.2 million people, was marked by anti-gay rhetoric.

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flickr.com / David Ortez

Houston’s current city controller, Annise Parker, will be Houston’s first gay mayor.