Richard Grayson, an author, teacher and lawyer, is a gay candidate
running for Congress in Florida’s District 4, in Jacksonville, against Congressman
Ander Crenshaw, who once declared that he ‘would never knowingly hire a
homosexual.’
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By PHIL LaPADULA
Friday, October 22, 2004
Jim Stork’s demise as a congressional candidate was a disappointment to
many gay voters. But some Floridians will still have a chance to vote for a gay
candidate for Congress.
Richard Grayson, a gay author, teacher and lawyer, filed papers and qualified
to run as a write-in candidate in Florida’s District 4, which includes
parts of the Jacksonville and Tallahassee areas.
Grayson, 53, is the only candidate running against Republican Rep. Ander Crenshaw.
In 1994, during the Republican primary campaign for governor, Crenshaw declared
that he “would never knowingly hire a homosexual.”
During the same interview with the St. Petersburg Times in June 1994, Crenshaw
also said that he didn’t know anyone who was gay or lesbian.
Since no Democrat is challenging Crenshaw and no one else filed to run against
him, Crenshaw’s name would not even have appeared on the ballot if Grayson
had not decided to run against him. According to Florida law, if a candidate
is running unopposed, there is no election in that particular district.
Repeated phone calls to Crenshaw’s campaign manager, Pat Rogers, were
never returned.
Grayson said he decided to run as a write-in candidate because he couldn’t
afford the $9,000 filing fee for an official party designation.
It costs nothing to run as a write-in candidate.
A line will be provided on the ballot after Crenshaw’s name for voters
who want to write in Grayson.
Grayson doesn’t even live in District 4; he lives in Dania, Fla. But
according to Florida law, a candidate only has to live in the state and be at
least 25 years old.
“I’m running because I wanted the voters of District 4 to have
a choice other than Crenshaw,” Grayson said.
He noted that Crenshaw voted for the federal amendment banning same-sex marriage.
Grayson, on the other hand, recently won the endorsement of the National Organization
for Women’s political action committee because of his liberal views.
“I’m like Charles Foster Kane in ‘Citizen Kane,’”
said Grayson. “I’m a fighting liberal.” He is pro-choice,
for affirmative action and against the war in Iraq.
“Let’s cut and run, and bring our torturers home,” he quips
about the war.
Grayson said another reason he is running for Congress is to protest “gerrymandering,”
the practice of drawing district boundaries to give an advantage to one party
over another. Grayson pointed out that the Republican-controlled state legislature
gerrymandered Crenshaw’s district to provide him with a safe Republican
seat, which is why no Democrat has challenged him.
Critics say the practice perverts democracy by creating permanently entrenched
legislatures.
“Over 90 percent of Americans live in congressional districts that are
essentially one-party monopolies,” Grayson said. He noted that Florida’s
25 congressional districts include 16 safe for Republicans and seven that are
safe for Democrats.
Grayson first became involved in politics in 1994 fighting to save a gay rights
ordinance in Alachua County. That year, there was not only a ballot initiative
to overturn Alachua’s gay rights law but also an amendment to the county’s
charter that prohibited the county commission from enacting any gay rights laws
in the future.
Both anti-gay measures passed.
Alachua’s Amendment 1 was similar to Colorado’s Amendment 2, which
prohibited the state from enacting any gay rights laws. The Supreme Court struck
down Amendment 2 in 1995. The next year, Circuit Court Judge Frederick D. Smith
struck down Alachua County’s Amendment 1.
After the Amendment 1 battle, Grayson served on the board of the newly formed
Human Rights Council of North Central Florida. The group was successful in getting
a gay rights ordinance passed in the city of Gainesville, which is in Alachua
County.
“Within a few years, we had a pro-gay rights majority on the city commission,”
Grayson said.
In addition to a wily sense of humor, Grayson has a bachelor’s degree
in political science and a master’s in creative writing, both from Brooklyn
College. After receiving his law degree from the University of Florida, he worked
as a staff attorney for three years at the University of Florida Law School’s
Center for Governmental Responsibility.
Grayson has taught English, legal studies and computer education studies on
a part-time and full-time temporary basis at Broward Community College, Florida
Atlantic University, Florida International University and Nova University.
A self-described “experimental writer,” Grayson has had five short-story
collections published. His writing often uses satirical wit to send political
and social messages.
His first book, “With Hitler in New York,” was published in 1979.
In 2000, he published “The Silicon Valley Diet,” a collection of
stories with gay themes.
Grayson has received three Florida Division of Cultural Affairs grants. He
was also appointed by former Florida Secretary of State Katherine Harris to
the Literature Grants Panel of the state’s Cultural Affairs Division.
“Katherine Harris took time out from stealing the 2000 election to appoint
me to the arts grant panel,” Grayson said. “I’m grateful.”
Since filing his candidacy May 7, Grayson has kept an online diary of his campaign,
which is available at www.mcsweeneys.net.
The diary showcases Grayson’s flair for satirizing the farcical aspects
of politics, including one entry in which he describes getting a head shot taken
of himself at a shop with a sign that read, “Wedding Photos.”
Based on his resume, many politicos would probably admit that Grayson is qualified
to serve in the Congress.
But he has no delusions about his chances of winning.
“If I were to win, I’d call for another Florida election investigation,”
he said.
Phil LaPadula can be reached at plapadula@expressgaynews.com.
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