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| Joel Burns |
The gloves finally came off in a supposedly non-partisan city council race underway in Fort Worth, Texas.
Although six candidates are vying for an up-for-grabs seat that will be voted on Nov. 6, the spotlight turned to just two of them earlier this week when sitting councilman
Chuck Silcox urged those attending a Fort Worth Republican Women's Club meeting to vote for
Chris Turner, a Republican political consultant, instead of
Joel Burns, a city zoning commissioner.
"This is an excellent time to have Republicans get out and support a Republican: Chris Turner," Silcox said, according to the
Fort Worth Star-Telegram. "We have two people of opposite partisan politics, opposite philosophical persuasions and opposite sexual orientations.
"I didn't tell you which one was homosexual," Silcox added. "He's married to a female,” he said while pointing to Turner, “and the other's married to a male. You make your own mind up."
Burns told the newspaper he was disappointed but not surprised by Silcox’s comments. "We live in the state of Texas, and I have a partner that I live with, who is a partner of 15 years," he said. "It is unfortunate that Mr. Silcox and Mr. Turner want to bring partisanship to a nonpartisan race."
Silcox later attempted to apologize for his actions, telling the
Star-Telegram, "I'm not trying to be derogatory about the young man. I've never even met him.
"From what I understand, he is openly gay,” Silcox said of Burns. “I'm not saying good, bad or otherwise. He has a different political philosophy and philosophy about life than most Republicans."
