Texas: Gayer than you might think.

Dallas may become the first of the top ten largest US cities to elect an openly gay mayor.

The most expensive race for mayor of Dallas might make history for another reason. But many North Texans apparently just figured out why. Ed Oakley, a three-term city councilman and longtime Dallas resident, has been campaigning as the experienced insider, the civil servant that Big D knows and trusts. In each of his campaign’s four telephone polls, voters were reminded of his extensive service to the city and his background, including the fact that he is gay. Oakley campaign staffers were surprised when they listened to messages that callers left on voicemail at the end of the poll. Many said, “He is? I didn’t know Ed Oakley was gay.”