Today, I read that the Philadelphia Inquirer, PA’s largest newspaper has endorsed Joe Sestak. I’ve been saying for a while that I support Sestak, and wanted to write a post explaining why. Not all LGBTQ groups that issue endorsements are behind Joe and I think that’s a shame. In my opinion, it displays a real blindness that illustrates how these groups fail to grasp the political changes that are underway.

This from Politico:

On paper, Sestak is about everything Democrats could want in a Senate candidate: a charismatic, decorated veteran elected to the House from a swing district who nearly defeated Republican Pat Toomey in 2010, one of the toughest election years for Democrats in decades.
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But the independent streak that attracts voters is precisely what worries national Democrats so much about Sestak: They believe, for the second time since 2010, that he could blow a winnable Senate race because of his tendency to reject the slightest hint of marching orders from party bosses. Sestak is the first to admit he likes doing things his way, and party leaders quickly tired of constantly being told, in so many words, to take a hike.

In response, the whole D.C. Democratic gang is all-in for Sestak’s main Democratic rival, Katie McGinty — from Barack Obama and Joe Biden to the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee and Sen. Bob Casey (D-Pa.). More than that, the national party is dropping more than $1 million to push McGinty past Sestak — a rare move by Democrats in a Senate primary that reflects their level of disdain for him.

In other words, Katie McGinty is politics as usual, and the party is willing to try and take down a fully qualified candidate because it is afraid they can’t control him.

As a gay man, I’ve had it up to my eyeballs with politics as usual. The DEMS in Washington are ineffective at creating real change when they are in power or when they are the minority party. The DNC is out of touch with the American people.

Sestak lost to Toomey by only a few points last time. If the DNC had been behind him, he would have won. Now, he polls higher than any other democratic candidate, but the DNC is still out to get him.

But that isn’t why I’m voting for him.

I’m supporting him because after that defeat, he began a concerted effort to get to know what PA voters want and need. He has crisscrossed his way– even walking– across the state for four years meeting every day people and getting to know what Pennsylvanians have to say. Few politicians especially at the state level can say they have done as much to make sure they are reaching out to every day constituents.

For me, Sestak brings all the important viewpoints that I care about and in addition, he isn’t beholden to what the DNC thinks is best. He seems to be in the best position to take down Toomey, and no candidate comes close to be connected to the average person.

That’s why I’m voting for Joe Sestak for PA Senate.