Openly Gay Former US Rep. Jim Kolbe Dies At Age 80

Phoenix’s NBC affiliate reports:

Former Congressman and Arizona State Senator Jim Kolbe has passed away at the age of 80. Governor Doug Ducey ordered flags at all state buildings be lowered to half-staff until sunset Sunday, December 4, in honor of Kolbe, who died Saturday.

Kolbe was a political pioneer, serving as the first openly gay Republican in the U.S. Congress. During his 22-year tenure from 1985-2007, he served as chair of the Subcommittee on Foreign Operations, Export Financing and Related Programs of the House Appropriations Committee.

Read the full article.

Kolbe was outed by gay activists in 1996 after his vote for the Defense of Marriage Act, although in 2013 he was a signatory to an amicus brief in support of the repeal of California’s Proposition 8.

In 2012 he appeared on JMG when he endorsed the ultimately failed US House run of homocon Arizona Sheriff Paul Babeu.

In 2000 he became the first openly gay person to address a Republican National Convention, although he speech did not touch on LGBTQ issues.

Congressman Kolbe led a life of remarkable public service. A Navy veteran, 11-term congressman, state legislator — even a congressional page for Sen. Goldwater — his commitment and dedication were boundless. 2/

— Doug Ducey (@DougDucey) December 3, 2022

Rest in Peace to Jim Kolbe. Only the second openly gay GOP Congressman. And wise enough to leave the GOP, after serving, because he knew when enough was enough. He endorsed Biden in 2020. https://t.co/J4tjU4XJY4 via @TucsonSentinel

— (((Howard Forman))) (sarcasm/parody) (@thehowie) December 3, 2022