First openly gay Senator

November 08, 2012 12:19 am | Updated 03:50 am IST - Washington:

Tammy Baldwin on Wednesday became the first openly gay Senator in the U.S. history when she defeated former Wisconsin Governor Tommy Thompson.

Though 50-year-old Democrat made history, her sexual orientation was largely a non-issue in the race, The Huffington Post reported.

Mr. Thompson’s political director had tweeted a message in September, deriding Ms. Baldwin’s “heartland values”, accompanied by a video of Ms. Baldwin dancing at an LGBT pride parade.

Earlier, in his victory speech, U.S. President Barack Obama said: “It doesn’t matter whether you’re black or white or Hispanic or Asian or Native American or young or old or rich or poor, able, disabled, gay or straight, you can make it here in America if you’re willing to try.”

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