Hundreds of thousands of dollars are being spent on the June 3 primary elections. But politicos fear that the top two winners—who will compete in November—will actually be chosen by a relative handful of California voters. Apparently apathy now trumps civic responsibility and the recognition of the historic struggle by women and minorities to win the right to vote. Frontiers does not endorse candidates, but we have selected some races and candidates of special importance to the LGBT community. Check out the L.A. County Democratic Party, Stonewall Democratic Club, Stonewall Young Democrats, Equality California and the Log Cabin Republicans websites for their endorsements. 
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The critical and controversial election primary is happening Tuesday, June 3, to decide who’s going to replace longtime gay and AIDS ally Rep. Henry Waxman, representing the 33rd Congressional District. There are 11 Democrats, four Republicans, one Green Party member, one Libertarian and four candidates unaffiliated with any party. Stonewall Democratic Club,  Stonewall Young Democrats, HONOR PAC, the Los Angeles County Democratic Party and other organizations have put out their endorsement recommendations. They do not all agree, so look them over carefully.

Marianne Williamson is a headliner. She was as a lecturer on the Course in Miracle during the height of the AIDS crisis; then on Oprah Winfrey’s show; more recently starring at her campaign rally at the Saban Theater in Beverly Hills with her friend Alanis Morissette; and on the Today Show interviewed by Maria Shriver.

State Sen. Ted Lieu has been officially endorsed by the California Democratic Party in his bid to replace Congressmember Henry Waxman in the 33rd Congressional District. And while he hasn’t officially endorsed anyone, Waxman has nice things to say about his potential replacement, whose current state senate district encompasses about 80 percent of the CD 33.

Wendy Greuel has been ubiquitous at LGBT and Democratic events for years. A former member of the Los Angeles City Council, former L.A. City Controller, Greuel is a candidate for the 33rd Congressional seat held by retiring longtime LGBT ally Rep. Henry Waxman. She also has high name recognition because of her intense mayoral race against Eric Garcetti, during which she touted her mentorship from L.A.’s first black mayor, Tom Bradley, who stood up for LGBT rights and people with HIV/AIDS during the AIDS crisis.

San Diego activists chuckle when asked about gay Republican Carl DeMaio’s TV ad showing him smiling, waving and walking hand-in-hand with his partner Jonathan Hale in a Pride parade. Daily Beast columnist James Kirchick waxed poetic on the “mere four seconds” of the “groundbreaking” commercial that “made history”—for a Republican at least. He thinks DeMaio’s ad could be the tip of the spear for a new Republican evolution.

A Californian to succeed deposed Republican House Majority Leader Eric Cantor? Really? Picking Majority Whip Kevin McCarthy—who represents Blue State California’s 23rd Congressional District and has been Cantor’s “Young Guns” buddy as well as right hand man—is an aftershock to the political earthquake that erupted after an unknown Virginia Tea Party candidate defeated the Majority Leader of the U.S. House of Representatives—something that’s never happened before.

The most surprising revelation of the June 3 primary was how many gay candidates sought and appeared geared to win elective office in California in the mid-term elections. Additionally, for the first time in recent memory, a pro-gay, pro-choice Republican heads the ticket for that now-political minority party. The GOP could, however, pull out victories in November with the top two primary vote-getters squaring off if Democrats continue their aversion to mid-term elections.

Most politicos recognized that Republican Elan Carr, a gang prosecutor from the Valley, would be a formidable opponent in the primary race to replace retiring Rep. Henry Waxman in 33rd C.D. In fact, he bested 17 contenders, winning a spot in the top two election in November with 21.5% of the vote.

Anyone who overhears John Jude Duran go on and on about his love for Disneyland might think the West Hollywood City Councilmember is a bit light in his loafers. In fact, the 1978 move from Santa Fe Springs to Orange County to work on the Jungle Cruise for his first job saved his soul.