This post was submitted by raphael

District 6 of the San Diego City Council has been represented by Donna Frye for the past 9 years. Frye is a progressive favorite and environmental activist. She has a sterling record on gay rights and led the City Council to condemn prop 8 back in 2008. She is vacating her seat because of term limits. There will be an election on June 8 to choose a replacement.

The favorite to win the seat is Howard Wayne, who’s won the endorsment of local queer organizations.

But Lorie Zapf is a strong contender for this seat. And if she wins, we’ll have a rising political player who’s shared some venomous thoughts about gay people.

According to San Diego Citybeat, Zapf wrote a 2006 email to James Hartline, an ex-gay, anti-gay tool of the Radical Right, that contained some bombshells that should alarm everyone:

• “I absolutely want to keep homosexuals out of public office and not be allowed to influence our schools, textbooks, altering marriage, children, and on and on.”
• “I like that you are trying to keep homosexuals and homosexual activists out of public office because we both know what the long term agenda is.”
• “I do believe homosexuality is a sin. I have three homosexual first cousins. I love them all and would ‘be seen’ in a photo with them. I believe they all live in sin and frankly all are very unhappy people and had horrible childhoods as well”

When Citybeat confronted her about these emails from 2006, Zapf recanted:

“[The statements in the email] do not accurately reflect my views or actions then or now.  For many years prior and after this e-mail, I’ve hired gays in my business and have endorsed gays for elected office. But, I recognize my words may still be hurtful, and I apologize for them sincerely.”

So let me ask TNG readers: Would YOU trust this woman with your vote?

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