Washington has 2nd largest gay caucus

OLYMPIA – The Washington state Legislature has the second-largest gay caucus in the country after a new representative was appointed to the House this year.

Marko Liias, a 26-year-old Democrat from Mukilteo, started the legislative session earlier this month, replacing former Rep. Brian Sullivan, who left for the Snohomish County Council. Liias’ arrival gives Washington six openly gay lawmakers, ahead of California, Connecticut and Vermont, which each have five, but still one shy of the seven gay lawmakers in New Hampshire.

That gives Washington state the second largest Capitol gay caucus, according to the Gay and Lesbian Victory Fund, a Washington, D.C.-based political action committee.

“Anything that we can do, me as an individual, or us as a state, to be leaders on this issue and be role models is excellent,” Liias said Wednesday. “The message really is, everyone deserves a stake in Washington, and everyone has a stake in Washington’s future.”

Liias joins Reps. Jamie Pedersen, D-Seattle, Jim Moeller, D-Vancouver and Dave Upthegrove, D-Des Moines, and Sens. Ed Murray, D-Seattle, and Joe McDermott, D-Seattle.

Of the approximately 500,000 elected officials in America, about 400 of them are openly gay or lesbian, said Denis Dison, a Victory Fund spokesman.