Anti-Gay GOP CA St. Sen. Ashburn Comes Out

Anti-gay California State Senator Roy Ashburn who was arrested last week on a DUI minutes after leaving a Sacramento gay bar with an unidentified Latino man has now come out as gay on a radio talk show:

“I am gay. Those are the words that have been so difficult for me for so long. It is something that is personal, and I don’t believe I felt with my heart that being gay would affect how I do my job,” Ashburn said.
Asked about his anti-gay voting record, Ashburn said, “I felt my duty, and I still feel this way, is to represent my constituents.”
Radio talk show host Inga Barks wanted assurances that Ashburn would continue to vote in a conservative manner on LGBT rights issues. Ashburn responded, “I believe firmly that my responsibility is to my constituents. I will take a careful look at each measure and apply that standard. How would they vote on this? How would they want me to vote on this,” adding that most people understood what that means.
“I don’t know how else to ask this, but are you going to live this lifestyle now in the district?” Barks asked. Ashburn, who announced he is not running for public office again, said, “I pray to God I can find peace. I want to go back to the senate and work hard for the people of my district…Now you know everything about me.”

Really? Do you always vote the way your conservative district wanted, Senator? How about when you voted for the budget?

Hat/tip GayPolitics.com

UPDATE 03/08/2010 6:20PM

Equality California has issued a statement on Ray Ashburn's acknowledgment of homosexuality today:

Senator Roy Ashburn (R-Bakersfield) who told listeners this morning on KERN Radio AM 1180 that he is gay.

“We can empathize with Senator Ashburn’s long and difficult journey to admit that he is gay. Equality California looks forward to working with the Senator to use his experience to educate the people in his district on why he deserves the same rights and privileges as a gay man as any other Californian.
“Senator Ashburn said he has voted against lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender-rights measures because of the preferences of voters in his district, but to date, no legislator has lost his or her seat for supporting Equality California-sponsored legislation. This includes legislators in a number of conservative districts, including in Bakersfield, Fresno and the Salinas Valley.
“Although we question the Senator’s claim that an overwhelming majority of voters in his district support employment and housing discrimination against LGBT individuals – bills he voted against, we are working hard to build support across the state among voters in all districts.”

Senator Ashburn has consistently received a zero percent on Equality California’s Legislative Scorecards since 2004, with the exception of 2007, when he scored 10 percent.