By Karen Ocamb

Some people just get it, and state Sen. Jackie Speier is one of those people. An eloquent supporter and author of LGBT legislation, Speier, a Democratic candidate for leiutenant governor of California in the June 6 primary, was the only heterosexual legislator who married gay and lesbian couples at San Francisco City Hall on that historic Valentine's Day in 2004.

Speier also co-authored all of Assemblymember Mark Leno's marriage equality bills (AB 1967, AB 19, and AB 849). “She is one of the hardest working, brightest, committed and accomplished legislators in Sacramento,” said Leno, who has endorsed her.

Speier laughs when asked a hypothetical question: If the governor was incapacitated and as lieutenant governor, you became acting governor and a marriage equality bill hit your desk -- but powerful national Democrats told you not to sign it -- what would you do? “That reminds me of the pope telling me what to do,” the former Catholic school girl told IN. “I would absolutely sign the bill. Polite people don't make history. This is so much bigger than one person's political careeer and that's why there would be no question in my mind that I would sign it.”

Speier wasn't always as fearless as she is today. Born May 14, 1950, in San Francisco and raised on the San Francisco peninsula, her father gave her judo lessons as a child. “I never quite understand why, but maybe that toughened me up,” she said.

After receiving her bachelor's degree in political science from UC Davis in 1972, Assemblymember Leo Ryan asked her to intern in his office. He became a mentor and she joined his staff. When Ryan was elected to Congress in 1973, Speier left to get her law degree from UC Hastings College of the Law. Upon graduation in 1976, she returned to serve as the progressive Ryan's legal council. Two years later the two made an ill-fated trip to Jonestown, Guyana, where Rev. Jim Jones had re-located his cult. On Nov. 18, 1978, 913 followers committed mass suicide and Ryan was murdered during an ambush at the airstrip. Speier was shot five times and left for dead. She was 28 years old.

Prior to the trip, Speier was “pretty concerned,” making the purchase of a Virginia condominium contingent on her surviving so as not to burden her parents. But she felt compelled to go. “I thought if I don't go it would be a step backwards for women who are trying to break into leadership positions among congressional staff. That's why I went,” she said.

Speier waited 22 hours on the tarmac before help arrived. It was a defining moment. “The silver lining of that whole tragedy -- of being shot five times and enduring 10 operations and two months of hosptialization -- was that I had time to think. I vowed I would never take another day for granted. I almost lost it all on that airstrip and I committed to myself that I would do something meaningful.”

Though she thought of seeking public office, “I never really thought I had what it took,” she said, and candidates “had to be invited to run.” But during her convalescence at a friend's house, Speier decided to run for Ryan's seat -- “frankly as therapy to get me to move on with my life and not be a victim.” She lost but learned valuable political lessons. Despite nay-saying pundits, in 1980 she won her race against a 20-year incumbant for the San Mateo County Board of Supervisors, where she stayed for six years before running for the state Assembly in 1986, then the state Senate in 1998.

Speier can't remember when she decided to treat gay people the same as everyone else. She does remember that openly gay Supervisor Harvey Milk was assassinated nine days after she was shot in Guyana. She also remembers the early days of AIDS. In the Assmebly, she carried legislation to get AZT and other drugs to people with HIV. She subsequently authored several LGBT-related bills and supported scores of others.

“I've had a number staff members over my 10-12 years in office who were gay or lesbian. They're a lot of fun. They've got great energy and great sense of progressive politics,” she said, laughing. “I've always looked forward to Gay Pride Day in San Francisco and I've particpated in that. I've always made it a point to get as outrageously entertaining as possible -- wearing an outfit where gay guys would say, 'Oh, I want that dress!'”

Speier became quickly irritated when she thought she was challenged. “My credentials as a women supporting the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender agenda is really unparalled among my opponents,” she said. “The story about John [Garamendi] -- it's pretty outrageous what he's done.”

Speier is referring to a dust-up during an endorsement debate at the Stonewall Democratic Club of Greater Sacramento over Garamendi's 1975 Assembly vote on the decriminalization of sodomy. “I gotta tell you that you do not forget those kinds of votes,” Speier said. “And for him to say he cast the tie-breaking vote when he voted no twice is proposterous. And then to say, 'It was my aide. He made a mistake.' That's ridiculous. I've asked him to apologize and he hasn't done it.” (Read Garamendi's response in his interview).

Speier's campaign is miffed at a spitball thrown by Garamendi's campaign which called her a “hypocrite” for championing privacy rights while having voted no against then-Assemblymember Carole Migden's “unique identifier” HIV/AIDS bill, AB 103.

In a Sept. 29, 1999, letter to Gov. Gray Davis, Speier wrote of her “strong support for AB 103,” which is “critical for the public health of all Californians.” She wrote that her no vote was “a reflection of a parliamentary dispute with leadership [about another bill] -- not policy.” She closed her letter urging Davis' signature on AB 103.

The June 6 primary winner will face Republican Tom McClintock in the November general election.

For more information, go to www.jackiespeier2006.com.