Sheila Kuehl \nLOS ANGELES - Adult industry lobbying group XXXPolitics has endorsed a number of California state office candidates - including former child actress and open lesbian Sheila Kuehl for re-election. XXXPolitics head Mike Ross says this is only the second major national election season in which they are endorsing candidates, and they're not endorsing on a partisan basis.
Kuehl is still best remembered for playing the nose-crinkling romantic nemesis of the title character in television's The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis. She eventually became California's first openly lesbian state legislature candidate. But the Democratic California State assemblywoman from Santa Monica got the XXXPolitics.com endorsement for consistent work "to help protect sexual rights of both our industry and her gay constituency," says Ross.
But XXXPolitics is also endorsing Republican assemblyman Tim Leslie for re-election because of the conservative's strength on pro-privacy issues in general. "He openly thanked me in front of a committee," Ross says. "I may not like his (conservative) cause, but I like his spirit. Mr. Leslie has had bills pass that enhance privacy rights and protections relative to the Internet." One such bill involved protections for online workers
They're also endorsing another Republican Assembly candidate, Jim Cuneen. "He's a great politician and an all around nice guy," Ross says. "(And he) carried independent contractor legislation that we support."
He says XXXPolitics would support "any candidate that is friendly to the industry regardless of party, and will do it with the Internet's assistance." But he also acknowledges that the Democratic Party, which he says was formerly a kind of friend in the breach to the adult industry, isn't always to be counted on automatically.
"The sad part about this process is that political roles and party images have shrunk or reversed - we used to think that Democrats were -industry friends- meaning that electing Al and Tipper Gore types would be great," he says. "However, when I remind people that they started the Parents Music Resource Centers (music censorship and rating), they change their minds, because nudity could be next."
And he says the industry could recognize that Republicans might be friends "in some instances; they may be because they oppose new taxes and want to help expand business, thanks to our efforts, they are recognizing that we are an important business, but we can't trust their gung-ho anti-crime agenda(s)."
Ross urges adult industry members to consider volunteering in campaigns, not just because candidates remember their volunteers, but "we not only get -inside information about future legislative proposals,- but we create allies, something that we desperately need."
In California's Republican contest for a nominee to challenge for the U.S. Senate, XXXPolitics is endorsing Tom Campbell over Ray Haynes. Ross says they backed Hayes's state legislative bill calling for the death penalty for those having sex with minors and kill while viewing porn, but they say Campbell, a moderate, has an "even-handed" understanding of the adult industry and Internet, "even if he doesn't like it." He also says Campbell has the edge with his concerns over constitutional censorship.
They're endorsing Dick Floyd for the State Senate, a Democrat whom they call not the most effective lawmaker but one who understands the adult industry "and has told me without porn, the only thing I could do on the weekend is drink and gamble," Ross says.
