This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2015, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
A few weeks ago, a handful of LGBTQ leaders whom I deeply respect penned an op-ed suggesting that Ralph Becker, the 8-year incumbent Mayor of Salt Lake City, would be better for Salt Lake's LGBTQ voters than challenger Jackie Biskupski. I respect their opinion, but strongly disagree.
On every issue that matters to LGBTQ voters, Biskupski has been a leader. When she was a legislator on Capitol Hill, Jackie fought for LGBT families on issues like adoption, the fight for anti-gay bullying legislation to protect students in Utah schools, and the fierce battle over Amendment 3. Her very presence in the state legislature made Utah a better and more inclusive state for everyone. On the issues that matter, LGBTQ voters know that Jackie has walked in their shoes and is thus the best prepared and most qualified to address their needs.
To be clear, Jackie Biskupski isn't running to be the lesbian mayor of Salt Lake. She's running because she's the best person for the job and because she trusts the voters — gay or straight — to make the right decision. She believes, as I do, that voters care about who is the most qualified, who has the best plan for the city, and who can get the job done.
That faith in the voters has been rewarded over and over again. In 1998, Jackie was the first openly gay elected official in Utah. Running for office, at any level, takes guts. But to run for office and win as a member of LGBTQ community in Utah took unprecedented courage.
By default, and to be effective, Jackie developed a collaborative, bipartisan leadership style. She wasn't the "lesbian in the legislature," she was a problem-solver. She demonstrated over and over again that she had the leadership skills and policy-making experience to deliver for her constituents. Voters rewarded her hard work by sending her back to the legislature six more times – the last time with 78% of the vote. The authors wrote that they have worked "for years to be respected as individuals and judged on our strengths and skills, and not by other characteristics…" I completely agree. LGBTQ people should be judged by their character and their records and that's why I believe Jackie is the right candidate with the right record at the right time.
Becker's past commitment to advancing human and civil rights is to be commended. But these are not the only issues in this race, nor even the most urgent. Becker's aloof and out of touch mayoralty has let ongoing problems fester and has looked the other way while glaring and embarrassing scandals have shaken faith in city government. It's time to turn the page on the politics of the past and elect a principled, community-focused leader whose results-focused style differs greatly from the incumbent.
Her plans for economic development, better policing, and a city government that is more transparent and accountable to the people it serves, make her, as the Tribune put it, " a fresh start," and "the best choice." Jackie has the private and public sector experience to hit the ground running as the next Mayor of Salt Lake. She will not be a better mayor for just LGBTQ residents. She'll be a better mayor for all Salt Lake. Vote Jackie Biskupski for mayor of Salt Lake City.
Aisha Moodie-Mills is president and CEO of the Gay and Lesbian Victory Fund in Washington, D.C.