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When
Republican
Sen.
Jeff
Atwater
(R-North
Palm
Beach)
announced
his
support
last
week
for
a
civil
rights
bill
that
adds
sexual
orientation
as
a
protected
class
in
the
Florida
Civil
Rights
Act,
it
signaled
to
some
GLBT
political
watchers
a
thaw
in
the
Florida
Legislature’s
staunchly
conservative
stance
regarding
gay
legislation.
Others,
though,
say
Atwater,
who
is
facing
a
strong
Democratic
challenger
in
November,
is
just
playing
politics.
Some
gay
Democrats
are
skeptical
of
Atwater’s
sudden
backing
for
the
civil
rights
bill
sponsored
by
Sen.
Ted
Deutch
(D-Delray
Beach).
“[Atwater]
is
a
wolf
in
sheep’s
clothing,”
said
Michael
Albetta,
president
of
the
GLBT
Democratic
Caucus.
“His
support
is
not
sincere.”
Albetta
and
others
say
Atwater
is
supporting
the
Deutch
bill
to
gain
favor
among
moderate
Republicans
and
the
GLBT
community
in
his
district,
where
he
faces
a
strong
Democratic
opponent,
former
State
Sen.
Walter
“Chip”
Campbell.
Indications
that
Atwater
is
taking
Campbell’s
challenge
very
seriously
include
the
fact
that
the
Republican
incumbent
has
already
spent
more
than
$500,000
for
television
ads
and
has
raised
$1.63
million
for
his
war
chest.
Atwater
did
not
return
calls
from
the
Express
for
an
interview,
but
he
told
the
South
Florida
Sun-Sentinel
that
his
support
for
the
bill
had
nothing
to
do
with
his
race
against
Campbell.
“I
don’t
believe
in
discrimination.
Period.
Capital
letters.
End
of
sentence.
Exclamation
point,”
he
told
the
Sun-Sentinel.
The
Deutch
bill’s
supporters
had
been
seeking
a
Republican
sponsor
who
could
be
effective
in
bringing
more
Republicans
to
vote
for
the
bill.
Atwater,
if
re-elected
in
November,
is
in
line
to
be
the
incoming
Senate
president.
Having
such
a
powerful
Republican
co-sponsoring
a
gay-friendly
bill
in
Florida’s
conservative
legislature
is
considered
major
progress.
Atwater
was
influential
in
getting
the
Senate
Commerce
Committee
to
not
only
hear
the
bill
but
to
pass
it
7-1
with
four
Republicans
approving
it.
Rand
Hoch,
president
of
the
Palm
Beach
Human
Rights
Council
and
one
of
the
main
backers
of
the
sexual
orientation-only
civil
rights
bill,
called
Atwater’s
support
“historic.”
“I’m
thinking
more
Republicans
will
feel
more
comfortable
voting
for
it
because
of
Atwater’s
leadership,”
Hoch
said.
“There’s
comfort
in
numbers.”
Hoch
said
he
spent
months
trying
to
get
a
meeting
with
Atwater.
When
he
finally
spoke
with
Atwater
in
February,
he
said
Atwater
clearly
understood
the
GLBT
community’s
needs.
Hoch
said
Atwater
also
recognized
that
protecting
against
sexual
orientation
discrimination
in
the
workplace
could
enhance
economic
development
by
attracting
companies
that
already
have
protections
and
benefits
for
gay
employees.
Stratton
Pollitzer,
Deputy
Director
for
Equality
Florida,
called
Atwater’s
support
“significant.”
Equality
Florida
has
been
lobbying
for
a
civil
rights
bill
that
includes
protections
based
on
gender
identity
and
expression.
“I
do
see
[Atwater’s
support]
as
a
clear
sign
of
a
shift
in
Tallahassee
regarding
GLBT
issues,”
Pollitzer
said,
citing
Gov.
Charlie
Crist’s
moderate
stance
as
another
indicator
of
change.
“The
atmosphere
is
palpably
different.”
But
GLBT
rights
activists
and
organizations
offered
mixed
reactions
to
Altwater’s
support.
Dean
Trantalis,
former
Fort
Lauderdale
city
commissioner,
pointed
to
Atwater’s
previous
opposition
to
a
bill
to
legalize
gay
adoption.
The
senator
also
opposed
adding
sexual
orientation
and
gender
identity
language
to
the
Safe
Schools
Bill,
Trantalis
said.
“He
has
never
shown
a
history
of
being
sympathetic
to
the
gay
community,”
Trantalis
said.
Justin
Flippen,
president
of
the
Dolphin
Democratic
Club,
questioned
why
Atwater
waited
until
the
legislative
session
was
half
over
before
announcing
his
support
for
the
bill.
“If
he
is
committed
to
this
legislation,
why
do
it
three
weeks
before
the
end
of
the
session?”
Flippen
asked.
“Why
did
he
not
express
his
support
at
beginning
of
the
session
when
his
influence
as
a
leading
Republican
can
get
it
through
the
committees
for
a
vote?”
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