Burnt Orange Report

Martha Wong Feels the Heat from the GLBT Community

By Byron LaMasters

GLBT activists in Houston have targetted State Rep. Martha Wong (R-Houston) as a possible vote against a state constitutional amendment to ban gay marriage equality. Wong serves on the State Affairs Committee where she is a possible swing vote. Wong represents the wealthiest state house district in the state including West University Place, Bellaire, River Oaks, etc. Wong also happens to probably represent the gayest district in Harris County as she represents much of the Montrose area.

Despite this, Wong voted against the Dignity for All Students amendment to HB 2 earlier this month proposed by State Rep. Garnett Coleman (D-Houston), which would provide more protection for GLBT students in schools. Even Rep. Todd Baxter (R-Austin) voted for this amendment - I guess Todd Baxter learned something after coming within less than 200 votes of losing, and having the GLBT community raise roughly $30,000 for his opponent. Still, Wong is a potential swing vote on the marriage issue, and Houston activists are taking the lead in educating her district on the issue. KHOU reports:

Texas lawmakers are expected to begin debate this week on a proposed constitutional amendment banning gay marriage. And that's throwing Houston Representative Martha Wong into a political minefield.

Gay activists have been blockwalking in Montrose to put pressure on State Rep. Martha Wong.

Back in her home district, gay activists have been blockwalking for a cause dear to their hearts. And they're talking to neighbors about their state representative.

Wong could be the gay marriage swing vote on the State Affairs Committee.

So the activists are burning up shoe leather to get the message out to sympathetic voters.

"These people understand how destructive it is to have an anti-gay marriage amendment being discussed for the next six months," said Maria Gonzalez, president of the Houston Gay-Lesbian Political Caucus.

Representative Wong has twice convinced voters to send her to the state legislature in a district Republicans redrew to defeat a Democrat. But now, she faces a dilemma over gay marriage.

For Wong, this is a classic no-win situation. Her district is mostly Republican, but it includes the Montrose area -- the heart of Houston's politically active gay community. No matter how Wong votes in Austin, she's going to tick off a lot of her voters here in Houston.

"But, more importantly, I think some of her more moderate Republicans take a dim view of government regulating certain types of privacy issues," said 11 News political analyst Bob Stein. "We've seen this in the Schiavo affair and it may very well be that this may come back to haunt her."

Wong told us by phone she hasn't decided how to vote on the gay marriage amendment. She wouldn't talk to us on camera because she says she's trying to keep a low profile on this issue.

But gay activists won't let her.

They say they've printed up 5,000 door hangers, which they're circulating throughout Wong's district. They're targeting homes that they've previously identified as sympathetic to gay causes.

Martha Wong has an easy decision to make. She represents a district with more gay people than any other in Harris County. Will she actually represent her constituents? Or will she toe the party line?

Politically, it is certainly in her best interest to side with the gay community. She represents the wealthiest and one of the best educated districts in the state. Yes, it leans Republican, but these are County Club Republicans that care the most about low taxes - not the social conservatives that could hijack her in a Republican primary. If she votes with the gay community on this issue, Wong will greatly lessen the scale of attacks and money leveled at her by the gay community come election time.