Houston City Controller Annise Parker won a runoff vote Saturday to become the first openly gay mayor of such a large city. (David J. Phillip / The Associated Press / November 3, 2009)

Congratulations are in order for Anise Parker, the first openly gay mayor of a large American city. it’s about time. As usual — and as could be expected — the creepies came out near the end of the race hoping to throw some bigotry into the race. Lead by one really weird and creepy individual, Dr. Steven Hotze — the same man who believes a wife may work outside the home only with her husband’s consent — tried to work a little homophobia into the race to no avail, thankfully.   To recite one of my favorite quotes from Gandhi: “I like your Christ. I do not like your Christians. They are so unlike your Christ.”

Checking the news feeds I found one interesting headline from Google News: “Cali and NY may be homophobic but not Houston”. Well, win some, lose some.

Parker’s opponent, civil rights activist and lawyer Gene Locke, apparently aligned himself with the wrong elements in a town full of college educated progressives. The times they are a changing so, to use the same old fashioned tactics of years gone by will certainly land you on “E” for empty and it did.

Bottom line, after watching this race it became apparent to me that Locke was more seen as a backroom, business friendly politician than the more open, politically active Parker who also chose not to bring her personal into the political arena — though she’s never hid her sexual orientation.

Parker and her partner have been together for 19 years and they have two adopted children. Unlike the sanctity of marriage headliners, Mr. Woods and Governor Sanford — the man who hiked the Appalachian trail to his Argentina mistress — there were no skeletons in her closet or porn stars coming out of their closets. No, Parker actually read like a pretty upstanding citizen, as are many LGBT folks, and she ran on issues which is what we should expect from an individual running for office.

With that, congratulations are in order for the new Mayor of Houston, Anise Parker, her supporters and the City of Houston. It looks as if you have chosen a wonderful candidate to serve the city of Houston for mayor and, like everything, it should be about the content of one’s character. Thank you Houston.

Annise Parker on CNN