The Real Gay Mafia

Or its capo, at least. A profile of Tim Gill, who seems to be doing more for gay-friendly political candidates than the other organizations combined.

Gill decided to find out how he could become more effective and enlisted as his political counselor an acerbic lawyer and former tobacco lobbyist named Ted Trimpa, who is Colorado’s answer to Karl Rove. Trimpa believes that the gay-rights community directs too much of its money to thoroughly admirable national candidates who don’t need it, while neglecting less compelling races that would have a far greater impact on gay rights—a tendency he calls “glamour giving.” Trimpa cited the example of Barack Obama: an attractive candidate, solid on gay rights, and viscerally exciting to donors. It feels good to write him a check. An analysis of Obama’s 2004 Senate race, which he won by nearly fifty points, had determined that gays contributed more than $500,000. “The temptation is always to swoon for the popular candidate,” Trimpa told me, “but a fraction of that money, directed at the right state and local races, could have flipped a few chambers. ‘Just because he’s cute’ isn’t a strategy.”

As a strategy, I think this is way past the focus on national issues exemplified by organizations like HRC. Sure, nationally we've been beset by the Christianists, but that's the point -- there are always vulnerable Republicans, and our national groups haven't been focusing on those races, that I can see. They crow about how many Democrats were elected in 2006 because of their support, but that's tenuous at best. And of course, my question is, what about 2004? and 2002, and 2000 and 1998?