Buhl Makes DC Mag as Bright Light in SD Politics

Boy, if Pastor Hickey frets that the Huether mayoral campaign's hiring of Hildebrand Strategies signals an effort to turn Sioux Falls into a gay haven (and really, what would be wrong with that? Let's make some money!), he must see gay rights advocate and blog maven Angie Buhl's candidacy for State Senate in neighboring District 15 as a real red alert (or is that pink alert?).

Sure to add fuel to the Hickey's fire: Buhl gives this interview to The New Gay, a D.C. alt-queer publication that refers to Buhl as "An Ally in South Dakota."

Now I can see that one sentence being turned into a banner headline for mailings and ads for anti-Buhl (and anti-gay) campaigners. But I am darn glad to see it. The article shows Buhl is exactly the kind of Democrat I love, one who isn't afraid to stand up for justice for all.

Buhl tells The New Gay why she's challenging incumbent Dem Kathy Miles:

I really love South Dakota. I find myself talking about it non-stop when I leave and I think it’s a really great place. The district that I’m in is in Sioux Falls, which is our biggest city. It’s downtown, the central part Sioux Falls, so it ends up being pretty Democratic and Progressive. The district had always been represented by people who are not Progressive, however, even though they’re Democrats, and they’ve sort of been able to pass that off by saying the district doesn’t support that. Luckily we know that the district is very progressive, and ultimately no one else has been willing to call out the incumbent on some of these issues and the fact that she hasn’t represented her constituents, and I’m excited to do that ["Politics: An Ally in South Dakota," The New Gay, 2010.04.26].

Those who will want to portray Buhl as some single-issue candidate will be disappointed. She says her biggest issues are affordable housing and wind energy. But she isn't backing away from her strong progressive stances on gay rights and abortion. Far from triangulating or tempering her views, Buhl is determined to make the case to voters that unapologetic Progressive politics are actually good for South Dakota.

As I said, that's my kind of Democrat. Fellow Dems, if you're still disappointed Kevin Weiland didn't bring that conversation to the statewide primary, maybe you'd like to chip in some cash to help Buhl lead that conversation in the heart of Sioux Falls. Maybe, just maybe, Buhl is the new Democrat we've been waiting for.