EDGE Chicago

U.S. Senate hopeful Jacob Meister is not your run-of-the-mill political candidate. And he is quick to point out his sexual orientation is only one part of how he is different from his opponents.

The Illinois U.S. Senate seat, which President Obama vacated after his election last November, remains mired in controversy. Former Gov. Rod Blagojevich appointed U.S. Sen. Roland Burris late last year shortly after federal authorities indicted him on corruption charges. And as of last week’s official petition filing deadline, Meister finds himself among three other prominent candidates for the seat’s Democratic nomination. These include former Chicago Inspector David Hoffman, on-leave Chicago Urban League president Cheryle Jackson and state Treasurer Alexi Giannoulias, who currently maintains a fundraising advantage against his opponents.

While still a bit of a long-shot in the race - a recent poll found Meister has the lowest level of support among the four candidates - the 44-year-old self-funded candidate does not seem phased by his lack of familiarity. He was confident the television campaign launched this week, which features one-minute spots in Champaign, Springfield and Peoria, would resonate with voters as he begins to build support around the state.

"I think the word ’underdog’ is getting thrown around less and less as I get out there," Meister told EDGE shortly after returning to Chicago from a downstate trip. "With the economy and jobs, people are hurting out there and I don’t see any of the other candidates addressing these issues. [When I decided to enter the race], I looked at [it] and said we have to get someone in Washington to address these issues. We don’t need more career politicians."

Meister’s criticism of his rivals as "career politicians" has been largely centered on Giannoulias. Meister specifically questions the timing and motivation behind the former Obama basketball buddy’s comprehensive platform on LGBT rights, which Giannoulias released shortly after Meister declared his candidacy. Giannoulias’ platform, like Meister’s, specifically supports the legalization of marriage for same-sex couples, the repeal of Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell and the passage of a transgender-inclusive Employment Non-Discrimination Act.

"I think [Giannoulias’] platform is the right platform, but it’s for the wrong reasons - politically-motivated reasons, instead of philosophical reasons," Meister said. "There’s no shortage of politicians who get elected saying they’re friends of the LGBT community only to forget about us once in office, it’s almost the norm."

Meister sees himself as the race’s "natural advocate" for LGBT issues in an arena where he feels leadership on such issues has been lacking in recent years. If elected, would be the only openly gay U.S. senator, a distinction he would not have considered possible as recently as 20 years ago. He said he feels Obama’s election and former U.S. Sen. Carol Moseley Braun’s tenure as the first female African American senator are testimonies to what he described as the seat’s progressive history.

"When I originally got out of government, I did so in part because I realized that as a gay man, you couldn’t run for public office at that time," Meister said. "I didn’t want to be a politician out there trying to hide who I was," Meister shared. "Things have changed since then, and I see this as an opportunity for me to do what I’ve always loved, government, while bringing a background that’s really necessary right now."

Meister has a lengthy background in government that dates back to his internship with Milwaukee’s mayor and county executive when he was 18. He also served as a delegate to the Wisconsin Democratic convention. And Meister later worked for Congressman Jim Moody on Capitol Hill while he completed his bachelor’s degree in international relations and political science.

Turning to law, his 20 years of practice have specialized in the areas of commercial litigation, including issues like real estate and construction, transportation and employment discrimination. Meister said he feels his experiences working in and around issues central to the economy make him uniquely qualified to represent the Illinois in Washington.

"I bring the real world experience that I have developed over twenty years [to this race]," he said. "I’m not a recycled government employee or bureaucrat or politico. I’m coming to it for the right reasons. I always say there’s a difference between politics and government and unfortunately politics really interferes with good government. I’m about good government."

And in terms of the issue of particular interest, Meister is confident his identity as an openly gay man would only strengthen his campaign. He hopes to draw on what he described as LGBT residents’ desire for a dedicated advocate in the U.S. Senate and the advancement of LGBT rights as part of a broader civil rights struggle.

"I think it’s actually a strength of my candidacy," Meister said of his sexual orientation. "I think it resonates with Illinois voters as they recognize that this is the civil rights issue of today. Illinois is a progressive state."