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Women

WATCH: Oregon Republican's Campaign Ad Makes Gay History

The first congressional candidate to feature a same-sex couple in her campaign might surprise you — because she's a Republican.

Sunnivie Brydum

<p>Sunnivie is an award-winning journalist and the managing editor at <em>The Advocate</em>. A proud spouse and puppy-parent, Sunnivie strives to queer up the world of reporting while covering the politics of equality daily.</p>

Read Full Bio

Sunnivie Brydum

sunnivie

September 10 2014 6:42 PM EST

November 08 2024 6:06 AM EST

A candidate for U.S. Senate in Oregon made history Tuesday by airing the first campaign ad for national office featuring a same-sex couple, reports Politico.

What makes the ad even more noteworthy is that the candidate it promotes is a Republican.

Monica Wehby is hoping Oregon voters will send her to Washington in November, removing junior Democratic incumbent senator Jeff Merkley. And to help make her case, the pediatric neurosurgeon enlisted a newly married gay man to tout her credentials, highlighting her support for marriage equality.

That man — Portland resident Ben West — also happens to be one half of the couple that successfully sued to overturn Oregon's ban on same-sex marriage. As a result of the case that West and his husband, Paul Rummell, filed, Oregon embraced marriage equality in May after a federal judge struck down the ban and the state's current leadership refused to appeal the ruling.

Politico reports that West initially cold-called Wehby's campaign office and wound up with an invitation to have drinks and appetizers with Wehby. West told Politico that he is a Republican who "has often crossed over to vote Democratic," while his husband, Rummell, "is a lifelong Democrat, but he's come to admire Wehby and backs her too."