An Alabama First

As Steve from Atticus Blog notes in this BaT comment, Alabama appears to have elected its first openly gay state legislator. Of course, Birmingham being Birmingham and the Birmingham News' constant obsession with all things racial, the fact that Patricia Todd is a lesbian isn't mentioned fourth paragraph.

Voters in House District 54 appeared to have elected their first white representative in more than two decades, while a two-term incumbent was on the brink of losing his seat in House District 55 in Tuesday’s Democratic primary runoff.

Patricia Todd, 50, associate director of AIDS Alabama, appeared to have defeated Gaynell Hendricks, 55, owner of the Wee Care Academy. With only provisional ballots remaining un counted, Todd had 1,173 votes, 51 percent, to Hendricks' 1,114, or 49 percent.

"We are confident that the numbers are confirmed and that I won fair and square," Todd said. "The people have spoken, and now it's time to unite the district."

Todd would be the district's first white representative in more than 20 years. It's believed that she also would be the first openly gay member of the Alabama Legislature.

She would replace state Rep. George Perdue, because there is no Republican candidate.

The vote isn't official, yet, according to the latest report -- because the count is so close: 53 out of more than 2,200 -- and any contest would have to wait until the official results are in this morning.

While Ms. Todd may become the first "openly gay" legislator, she will not be the first gay officeholder in Alabama. In fact, a homosexual has held one of the state's highest offices. But he or she was not openly gay -- at least not to his or her spouse, although those of us familiar with Alabama politics and the queer community in the state know he or she hasn't done much to keep that "secret."

Is it a secret if everyone knows?