This simmering story for Mark Kirk has been one of the side effects of his belonging to a political party that has severe issues about sexuality and gay rights.
CP has long-held the following view on these matters. If you are gay and running for office, or are currently in office, then there needs to be honesty about the matter if you are talking against gay rights, or voting against gay people and issues, under the cover of being straight. While there is a nastiness for those who use the ‘gay rumor’ for political purposes (such as Andy Martin is doing) there is also a need to recognize that as long as candidates shy away from being honest with themselves and the public about their sexuality then they are continually open to this form of public blackmail. One further step would be for all candidates who are confronted with these matters to make public statements that a persons sexuality is not important when considering a run for public office. By working to end the stigma about being gay, that those like Andy Martin are trying to continue using, the GOP could actually do something positive for the nation.
Republican primary frontrunner for Senate Mark Kirk today denied rumors advanced in political attack ads that he was a homosexual.
Speaking at the Union League Club concerning his recently completed Naval Reserve duty in Afghanistan, Kirk said simply: “No, it’s not true.”
To which he added that he’s getting tremendous support from his constituents concerning the issue.
Kirk’s sexuality has been a topic of political conversation since primary challenger Andy Martin suggested Kirk was gay in a radio ad last week.
Andy Martin, a fringe candidate who pushes the idea that President Obama is a Muslim and is known for suing the state of Hawaii to produce a ribbon copy of Obama’s birth certificate, has a history of salacious allegations and frivolous lawsuits.
His advertisement asserts that there’s “solid rumor that Mark Kirk is a homosexual” and that he’s part of the “Republican Party homosexual club.”
During Kirk’s conference this morning, Martin was protesting outside.
CP wants to know if Fred Phelps was holding Andy Martin’s hand…or anything?
CAFFEINATED POLITICS 
I wrote the following in Rob Feder’s Blog on Chicago NPR last week concerning this:
I heard the ad on WIND this morning and as a conservative I am disgusted. If Kirk is gay, so what. If Mr. Martin can come up with evidence that he is gay and that it would be detrimental to him being in the Senate then let’s hear the facts.
Otherwise Andrew Martin is nothing more than a bomb throwing troll.
Additional Note: My vote is up in the air right now for a GOP Senatoral Candidate. He voted for Cap and Trade and still has some explaining to do on that.
..However, my vote will definitely not be cast for Andrew Martin.
What ever happened to candidates being honest with the public and being honest with themselves?
Andy Martin