Oregon Public Broadcasting

Portland attracted national attention last night by becoming the largest city in the country to elect an openly gay mayor. Rob Manning has more.

Gay and lesbian groups are saying Sam Adams’ victory in the Portland mayor’s race is a sign that sexual orientation doesn’t have to interfere with someone’s political goals.

The issue of Adams’ sexual orientation barely registered in local media coverage of the Portland mayor’s race.

Chuck Wolfe with the Gay Lesbian Victory Fund says that’s an example the rest of the country – and even the rest of Oregon – should learn from.

Chuck Wolfe: “We would love to see an America where nobody uses sexual orientation as a wedge issue. But obviously in Oregon, it’s still that way.”

Wolfe is referring to the passage of a 2004 ballot measure that defined marriage as involving a man and a woman only.

Wolfe’s group also celebrated the Democratic nomination of Kate Brown in the Secretary of State race. Brown identifies herself as bisexual.