Arizona State Senator Steve Gallardo felt compelled to reveal his homosexuality in the midst of his state’s war over Senate Bill 1062.
The recently vetoed bill would have allowed privately owned businesses to discriminate against gay patrons at their own religious discretion.
Gallardo summarized his actions in a simple, compact quote to NBC News saying, “I’m a Latino, I’m a native of Arizona, I come from a Catholic family and I’m gay, it’s OK.”
Via NBC:
“This bill allows businesses to say to me and my friends that we can’t be served in certain restaurants,” he told NBC News. “I don’t know why the Legislature was doing this. I should come out, I should say something, I should share the personal side of my life that I don’t really share.”
Gallardo, a Democrat, served in the Arizona House 2003-2009, then moved to the Senate in 2011.
He plans to run for the U.S. House seat being vacated by retiring Rep. Ed Pastor this year.
Gallardo said that he is not concerned with how the news will affect his chances of winning the seat.
“I don’t care about the congressional race, I don’t know if it helps me or hurts me, this is bigger than any race …,” he said. “If I can make it easier for just one person, it’s worth it.”
Do you think his new revelation will help, hurt or neutralize his chances for the U.S. House? Let us hear your opinions, people.
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Photo: MyFoxPhoenix10
