A Transgender Candidate

Voters head to the polls today in New York, New Jersey and Virginia for key elections. Political watchers are viewing several races as indicators of how the country feels about President Obama and his administration’s handling of the economy, two wars, and health care during his first 10 months in office.

We’re shifting from today’s horse races to an election a year from now, the city supervisor’s seat in San Francisco. It’s shaping up to be a remarkable race, largely due to the leading contender, Theresa Sparks, a transgender woman with a decidedly moderate streak. She’s also a former oil baron, CEO, and parent of three.

As pundits track Spark’s campaign for city supervisor, it becomes clear that this race could reveal as much about San Francisco’s politics as our country’s willingness to accept leadership from a transgender person.

For more we’re joined by reporter Nathanael Johnson, who profiled Theresa Sparks for San Francisco magazine.

San Francisco: The life and times of Theresa Sparks

(Photo by Violet Blue via Flickr/Creative Commons)