For organizations like Basic Rights
Oregon (BRO), which promotes gay
rights, bipartisan support from
Democrats and Republicans like Morse is
key. Personal stories like his make all the
difference when it comes to breaking
through to people who oppose equal
rights for gays. “Fundamentally it’s about
personal connections,” said BRO
Communications Director Rebekah
Kassell. “It might be about hearing a
story that’s compelling, hearing that a
family member is gay.”
Morse testified before the Senate in
support of SB 1000, shared his family
story, and urged the Senate to move to-
wards a policy of acceptance. The bill
passed in the Senate, but was later de-
feated in the House.
“How do we recognize people in long-
term relationships?” asks Morse. “That’s
the question before the Legislature, and
we failed to answer it.”
Now Morse’s reputation with his con-
servative constituents remains in ques-
tion. Morse recently announced plans to
run for re-election after an independent
survey (that he paid for) of District 8 vot-
ers showed that 46 percent of respon-
dents held a favorable image of Morse,
while 14 percent held an unfavorable
image.
Corvallis was the first city in the state
to legalize civil unions for homosexuals
but Albany is far more conservative.
Other socially liberal Republicans are
watching Morse closely. State Sen. Ben
Westlund (R-Bend) also co-sponsored
SB 1000 and will use Morse’s race as a
barometer for his campaign. “Morse is in
a more vulnerable position because he’s
newer,” said Westlund’s aide, Stacy
Dycus. “Westlund has served as a repre-
sentative for three terms so he has some
name recognition.”
But Atkinson is confident that Morse
will be reelected if he runs. After the
SB 1000 vote was complete in the
Senate, “people for and against came up
and shook his hand, because he was
doing it based on principal and integrity,”
Atkinson said.
■
‘How do we recognize people in long-term relationships?
That’s the question before the Legislature, and we failed to answer it.’
— Oregon State Sen. Frank Morse
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