California Senator Roy Ashburn Comes Out But Contends He Will Continue To Vote Conservative

Anti-gay California Senator Roy Ashburn has come out, telling a Bakersfield, California talk radio show this morning “I am gay. Those are words that have been so difficult for me for so long. It is something that is personal, and I don’t believe I felt with heart that being gay would affect how I do my job.” When asked about his historic anti-gay voting record, Ashburn, whose district includes Bakersfield, said “I felt my duty, and I still feel this way, is to represent my constituents.” The host, Inga Barks, who wanted confirmation that Ashburn would continue to vote conservative on social issues, asked whether the Senator, arrested last Wednesday for drunk driving after leaving a Sacramento gay bar, would “live this lifestyle now in the district?” Ashburn, who announced he will not be seeking re-election, said “I pray to God I can find peace. I want to go back to the senate and work hard for the people of my district ... Now you know everything about me.”