Babeu is a leader in opposing illegal immigration.

So, to me, there’s not much guessing as to who most benefits from “I’m afraid of Sherrif Paul due to an affair that ended three years ago so here’s a picture of him in his gay gay gay underwear”.

Ryan, there are hundreds of gay Republicans elected accross the country. Usually it’s at the city or county level. In San Diego, for example, you may recall that we discussed three people running for a congressional seat. Including a city councilman and the attorney general, both gay Repulicams.

here’s a few out gay Republicans who were elected while being both gay and Republican

http://itsaqueerworld.blogspot.com/2011/04/out-in-politics-gay-republican-elected.html

from http://www.glaad.org/blog/2011-election-roundup-lgbt-equality-victories

Openly gay Republican candidate Bruce Harris was elected as mayor of Chatham Borough, N.J.

also, Redondo Beach, CA has an openly gay Asia-American man, Mike Gin, as mayor.

I’m sure there are more.

Mr. Babeu clearly does not. His congressional aspirations are over, and possibly his future as a sheriff, which is an elected position. If he knew “this was going to hit the fan one way or another,” he could have made his sexual orientation public on his own terms and minimized the damage.

Does Jose? If so, how? He has called attention to himself in a manner that might endanger his life. Certainly he cannot imagine Paul is going to beg him to come back.

I believe someone else is benefiting from all of this, a political opponent or enemy of Mr. Babeu’s. Would this matter have been made public at all if Mr. Babeu was not running for Congress? Or co-chairing Mr. Romney’s Arizona campaign?

It’s only speculation on my part. But, who would benefit if this information became public is a standard question in a situation like this.

It’s not quite that nuanced. GoProud “takes no position” on gay marriage. So CPAC’s brand of conservatism can no longer countenance openly gay people, period, irrespective of their views on gay rights issues.

Off chance, does any one know of any elected official who is openly gay and Republican anywhere in this country? Not outed after the fact, but ran openly gay and won? I don’t know for sure, but my suspicion would be “no”.

Which is more shocking to the conservatives: that he had an affair, that he had an affair with a legal immigrant, or that he’s gay? It’s the last one. If his affair had been with a woman, this would not be a national news story, a local one, perhaps, and perhaps damaging, but not a national one.” – jeckjr

I think that the sheriff probably knew that this was going to hit the fan one way or the other. From what I have read about it, he is doing a good job at damage control. But will Republicans in Arizona vote for a gay congressman who believes in gay marriage? I am a Republican and tend to doubt it.

Which is more shocking to the conservatives: that he had an affair, that he had an affair with a legal immigrant, or that he’s gay? It’s the last one. If his affair had been with a woman, this would not be a national news story, a local one, perhaps, and perhaps damaging, but not a national one.