Sen. Meeks was the lone Democratic vote against Illinios' recently passed civil unions legislation
Chicago, IL -
State Senator James Meeks announced Thursday that he is dropping out of the race for Chicago mayor.
The announcement comes a day after Meeks met privately with African-American candidates Congressman Danny Davis and Former U.S. Senator Carol Moseley Braun. The candidates discussed the idea of the black community uniting behind a single candidate.
"Even as I continue to believe that I would be both the best prepared and the most electorally viable candidate in this race, I have chosen to lead by example," Meeks said in a release.
Meeks, who was the lone Democratic vote in the Illinois Senate against the recently passed civil unions legislation, has had a tumultuous relationship with the LGBT community.
In an interview with Fox Chicago News in September, Meeks said that if he's elected Mayor, he'll be too busy to deprive gay people of their civil rights.
"Now, if I were sitting around bored with nothing to do, that stuff might come up," said Meeks. "But I expect to be so busy with schools, crime and budget problems during my first term that I wouldn't have any time."
Meeks also serves as the pastor of Chicago's 22,000 member strong Salem Baptist Church where his anti-gay stance is in sharp contrast to the gay-friend Daley administration.
In 2007, the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC) named Meeks one of the "10 leading black religious voices in the anti-gay movement." The Illinois Family Institute, an anti-gay group, lauded Meeks in 2006 for leading African Americans in ‘clearly understanding the threat of gay marriage.' Meeks was criticized for calling homosexuality "an evil sickness."
The 54-year-old Meeks also actively campaigned to defeat SB3186, an Illinois LGBT non-discrimination bill, while serving in the Illinois state legislature. He was the only African American in the Illinois Senate and House to vote against the bill.
Meeks' announcement comes on the same day the Chicago Board of Election Commissioners ruled Rahm Emanuel's name can appear on the Feb. 22 ballot for Chicago mayor.
Emanuel is among a crowded field of candidates, including Moseley Braun, Davis, former school board president Gery Chico, and City Clerk Miguel del Valle.
A recent Chicago Tribune/WGN poll showed Emanuel with the support of 30 percent of those surveyed.
Race for Mayor, The Gay Vote: As this race continues to heat up, ChicagoPride.com will launch a series of mayoral profiles to run on this site in the coming weeks, spotlighting each of the major candidates' past records on LGBT issues and their proposals for our city's future.
The announcement comes a day after Meeks met privately with African-American candidates Congressman Danny Davis and Former U.S. Senator Carol Moseley Braun. The candidates discussed the idea of the black community uniting behind a single candidate.
"Even as I continue to believe that I would be both the best prepared and the most electorally viable candidate in this race, I have chosen to lead by example," Meeks said in a release.
Meeks, who was the lone Democratic vote in the Illinois Senate against the recently passed civil unions legislation, has had a tumultuous relationship with the LGBT community.
In an interview with Fox Chicago News in September, Meeks said that if he's elected Mayor, he'll be too busy to deprive gay people of their civil rights.
"Now, if I were sitting around bored with nothing to do, that stuff might come up," said Meeks. "But I expect to be so busy with schools, crime and budget problems during my first term that I wouldn't have any time."
Meeks also serves as the pastor of Chicago's 22,000 member strong Salem Baptist Church where his anti-gay stance is in sharp contrast to the gay-friend Daley administration.
In 2007, the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC) named Meeks one of the "10 leading black religious voices in the anti-gay movement." The Illinois Family Institute, an anti-gay group, lauded Meeks in 2006 for leading African Americans in ‘clearly understanding the threat of gay marriage.' Meeks was criticized for calling homosexuality "an evil sickness."
The 54-year-old Meeks also actively campaigned to defeat SB3186, an Illinois LGBT non-discrimination bill, while serving in the Illinois state legislature. He was the only African American in the Illinois Senate and House to vote against the bill.
Meeks' announcement comes on the same day the Chicago Board of Election Commissioners ruled Rahm Emanuel's name can appear on the Feb. 22 ballot for Chicago mayor.
Emanuel is among a crowded field of candidates, including Moseley Braun, Davis, former school board president Gery Chico, and City Clerk Miguel del Valle.
A recent Chicago Tribune/WGN poll showed Emanuel with the support of 30 percent of those surveyed.
Race for Mayor, The Gay Vote: As this race continues to heat up, ChicagoPride.com will launch a series of mayoral profiles to run on this site in the coming weeks, spotlighting each of the major candidates' past records on LGBT issues and their proposals for our city's future.
