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Fort
Lauderdale
City
Commissioner
Cindi
Hutchinson
is
no
stranger
to
the
gay
community.
As
she
makes
her
bid
in
what
is
expected
to
be
a
contentious
mayoral
race
that
will
draw
additional
candidates,
she
is
working
to
secure
strong
support
among
the
city’s
growing
gay
population
and
its
leaders.
Gay
leaders
have
hosted
fundraising
events
for
her,
including
Dean
Trantalis,
who
announced
his
own
mayoral
bid
June
23
as
a
candidate
who
will
represent
gay
issues
in
City
Hall.
Hutchinson
said
she
was
surprised
when
Trantalis
told
her
about
his
plans
over
lunch
at
Galanga
Restaurant
about
a
week
before
his
announcement.
She
said
her
strategy
remains
to
focus
on
the
city’s
diversity,
not
just
one
voting
block.
“Is
[Trantalis]
going
to
represent
everybody?”
she
asks.
“What
about
the
rest
of
us?
I’m
here
for
everybody.”
But
despite
her
emphasis
on
the
city’s
diversity,
she
wants
Fort
Lauderdale’s
growing
gay
voters
to
know
she
spoke
out
against
the
mayor
at
the
“Flush
Naugle”
rally
last
July.
She’s
hired
publicist
Stephen
Gaskill,
who
also
handles
press
for
Florida
Red
and
Blue,
the
committee
that
aims
to
defeat
Amendment
2.
She’s
appeared
at
several
Dolphin
Democrats
meetings
to
win
gay
support,
and
wants
the
community
to
know
about
her
actions
on
the
commission.
For
instance,
she
introduced
a
resolution
to
ban
hateful
rhetoric
in
city
business,
and
moved
to
eliminate
Mayor
Jim
Naugle’s
column
in
the
city
newsletter.
And
while
it’s
undeniable
she
wants
to
be
seen
as
a
candidate
who
will
support
gay
issues,
she
denies
making
the
GLBT
community
the
center
of
her
campaign.
“The
gay
community
has
been
very
supportive
of
me
as
a
commissioner,”
Hutchinson
said.
“I
think
every
vote
counts,
whether
its
gay,
straight,
married
man
or
woman.
There
is
not
just
one
voting
sector.”
Nonetheless,
gay
votes
will
likely
play
a
role
in
the
outcome
of
the
mayoral
race.
Fort
Lauderdale’s
GLBT
community,
wary
of
being
on
the
defensive
after
Naugle’s
attack
last
summer,
may
be
energized
to
turn
out.
However,
with
the
announcement
of
a
Trantalis
run,
there
is
concern
that
the
gay
vote
could
split
and
favor
another
front-runner,
such
as
State
Representative
Jack
Seiler.
And
while
Hutchinson
said
she
recognizes
that
the
gay
community
will
measure
prominently
in
the
election,
she
denies
that
it
overshadows
the
city’s
other
minorities.
Hutchinson
brands
herself
as
local
woman.
“I’m
not
gay,
I’m
just
not
married,”
Hutchinson
said.
“I
take
care
of
my
mom.
I’m
just
a
happy-go-lucky
gal.”
There
may
be
some
traction
in
selling
herself
as
the
candidate
with
deep
roots
in
Fort
Lauderdale.
Seiler
has
drawn
fire
from
residents
who
criticize
him
for
not
having
a
home
in
Fort
Lauderdale.
He
lives
in
Wilton
Manors.
Hutchinson’s
leadership
has
been
questioned
as
headlines
emerged
this
year.
She
had
made
a
public
apology
for
spending
$4.70
of
city
money
on
postage
for
campaign
literature.
“I’m
embarrassed,”
she
said.
“I
was
in
a
hurry.
I
have
beaten
myself
up
more
than
anyone
else
can.
I
will
always
carry
that
mistake
with
me.”
Despite
criticism
in
the
daily
papers
and
on
local
blogs,
she
said
she
is
committed
to
facing
the
hard
shots
and
remaining
in
the
race.
“[Running
for
mayor]
is
the
next
step
for
me,”
she
said
“Now
is
the
good
time
to
run.
I
never
wanted
to
run
against
an
incumbent.”
At
the
Stonewall
Street
Festival
June
22,
Hutchinson
appeared
in
a
booth
introducing
herself
to
passerby
in
the
morning
before
a
storm
doused
the
event.
But
will
garnering
early
support
among
the
gay
community
pay
off
in
the
long
run?
She
has
raised
more
money
than
any
other
candidate
so
far,
but
the
election
will
not
be
decided
until
March
2009.
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