EDGE Chicago

A gay U.S. Senate hopeful who had sought the seat once held by President Barack Obama has pulled out of the race.

Jacob Meister announced his withdrawal from the race for the Democratic nomination before a crowd of supporters on Sunday, two days before voters were to go to the polls. In addition to pulling his name from contention in the primary, he also announced his support for frontrunner Alexi Giannoulias.

Meister, the first openly gay Illinoisan to run for statewide office, said a desire for Democratic unity and the race’s increasing "nasty" tone provided the impetus for withdrawing and throwing his support behind Giannoulias. He is confident in both the 33-year-old state treasurer’s chances to contend with Republican frontrunner Mark Kirk and his dedication to LGBT-specific issues.

"[Alexi] is almost certain to get the nomination, and I think it’s important for all the candidates to coalesce around him because it’s going to be a tough battle come November," Meister told EDGE on Monday. "It’s equally important, from my perspective, that Alexi has given me very absolute assurances that he is deeply committed to LGBT issues and is willing to burn political capital and take a leadership role on them in the U.S. Senate."

Meister also said Giannoulias had adopted his campaign’s 20/20 Vision, a platform centered on job creation, education and health care reform, in addition to civil rights. And while Meister had previously criticized the timing and motivation of his opponent’s comprehensive LGBT rights platform, which he introduced after he entered the race, his skepticism has since dissipated.

He says Giannoulias’ and other candidates’ open discussion of gay issues was one particularly positive outcome he will carry forth from his campaign. And he sees Giannoulias as a clear political ally when compared to Cheryle Jackson and David Hoffman.

"I’d like to think I helped to set the dialogue that’s been going on in the campaign, as the other candidates came forth with LGBT platforms," Meister said. "I think we need, as a community, to make sure we hold [Giannoulias] to his promise and agreement to be a leader for us. Unless the LGBT community is willing to go to bat for itself, no on else will."

Meister intends to pursue his recent complaint with the FCC against WTTW, a Chicago public television station, for its exclusion of him from a candidate forum last month. He maintains the station’s decision was a political one that effectively silenced LGBT Illinoisans’ voice in the race.

And looking ahead, Meister plans to continue his political involvement, pursuing LGBT issues as civil rights through working with other elected officials and other contacts he’s made in the community. He has not ruled out running for office again in the future.

"I will definitely remain active in politics," Meister told EDGE. "I have been overwhelmed by the level of support I’ve gotten from the LGBT community, particularly outside of metro Chicago, in rural areas."

At last count, Giannoulias held a comfortable lead over his closest Democratic competitor, Hoffman, though the gap between the two has closed. Giannoulias has come under heat in the last week over bad loans made by his former employer, Broadway Bank. Some have asked for his withdrawal from the race, but Giannoulias has not done so.