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Small town elects gay mayor by Jonathan K iPP
f Don Clarkson’s
hometown had a
newspaper, the front
page Nov. 8 would
have read, “Gay psy
chic elected mayor.”
Although Mosier’s 166
voters didn’t get to see that
headline, it doesn’t mean it
isn’t true. W hen Clarkson
got the thumbs-up to serve
a two-year term Nov. 7, he
became Oregon’s only out
gay mayor.
A resident of the town
since 1988, he wasn’t
involved in local politics.
He kept to himself, fixing
up his home and commut
ing twice a week to Port
land, where he supports
himself as a psychic and a
personal coach.
But when the tow n’s
scrooge stepped up to run
unopposed for mayor, C larkson was ap
proached by several locals about running
against him. Bill Ward, a fundam entalist
C hristian and an Oregon Citizens Alliance
sympathizer, sat on the C ity Council and was
considered by many to be an obstructionist—
a divisive and m ean-spirited person.
Clarkson refused the invitation to run. He
didn’t want the headache and assumed he would
have no chance of winning.
But an elderly woman, one of the tow n’s
six council members, continued lobbying
him. She didn’t like homosexuals, but she
liked Clarkson.
Others surprised him by encouraging him to
run as well. He tried to fend them off by remind
ing them that he was gay and that he was a psy
chic. He was sure many would consider him a
sort of “anti-Christ” in an area normally consid
ered a hotbed of conservatism.
But Mosier isn’t your normal small town.
Clarkson calls it “an odd little place” with
some of the most interesting people he ever
has known.
The area’s weather, world-famous windsurf
ing and slow pace have attracted people from
throughout the country— some from big cities
and some affluent. And the newcomers
brought along their diverse and more liberal
views, which Clarkson said were more open to
his candidacy.
Eventually, the most unlikely candidate in
the area stepped up and put his name on the bal
lot. It was a sort of turning point in his life.
Clarkson realized he almost was ashamed of
turning his head when big problems arose
around him. He was tired of being a “meta
physical pansy”— seeing the bad guy win
because he decided to let someone else solve
the problems.
He put up signs and sent a campaign letter.
Mosier never had a real election, Clarkson said;
people usually are elected by default.
But his opponent didn’t sit still while the
campaign took off. Ward went door to door
telling locals about Clarkson’s deviant lifestyle
and devil worshipping.
And then, five days before the election, he
sent out a mailer filled with blatant lies to
every voter. Clarkson said that Ward thought
his candidacy was a “slam dunk”—after all,
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who would vote for a queer psychic in rural
Oregon?
For a moment, Clarkson thought it was
over. He remembers one of his supporters say
ing that if he lost, “W e’re all going to have to
move.”
But the letter backfired. It was hateful and
something even some of Ward’s supporters
couldn’t forgive.
“Even fundamental Christians turned
against him,” Clarkson says. He figures some
who were opposed to a gay psychic for mayor
decided Ward was even less of a Christian than
he was.
People did express their curiosity about his
profession as a psychic, so Clarkson tried to
answer their questions. Surprisingly, though, the
issue of his sexual orientation didn’t come up
once during the campaign. “I don’t think for the
most part anyone cared,” he says.
But Clarkson wasn’t taking any chances. By
running for mayor he went from relative
anonymity to being one of the town’s most rec
ognized faces.
He got extra security for his home and said
he started sleeping with one eye open. He
wrote to his clients in his fall quarterly newslet
ter about his concern that his opponent might
be a homophobic loose cannon and have
access to a gun.
But he knew his mission was an important
one, not only for him but also for his community.
Clarkson defeated Ward, 96 votes to 70. He
admits his victory in this little-known hamlet
pleases him—and even causes him to gloat a bit.
The proud mayor-elect thinks he will have
an opportunity to make a difference for
Mosier. He says the area is about to undergo
major changes that will require hard work and
leadership.
Clarkson also is hoping his position will
help change at least a few minds about gay peo
ple. He says he hopes to “put a different face to
what queer looks like” in the minds of his niral
neighbors.
W hen something unheard of happens— like
a gay psychic being elected as mayor of a small
Oregon town— it gives cause for hope, Clark
son says. “This is a topsy-turvy world, as it
should be.” J[T ]
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