Local
Sarvis seeks to provide Virginia voters with ‘a better choice’
Libertarian gubernatorial candidate continues to take votes away from Ken Cuccinelli
Robert Sarvis and his family (Photo courtesy of Robert Sarvis)
“[I’m] somebody who’s talking about issues that would otherwise go untalked about,” he said during an interview before former Democratic National Committee Chair Terry McAuliffe and Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli squared off in their latest debate that took place at the Capital One Conference Center in McLean. “[I’m running] to make sure there’s a candidate that’s talking about freedom across the board — both economic freedom and personal liberty.”
Recent polls suggest that Sarvis, 37, has become a factor in Cuccinelli’s gradual loss of support among Virginia voters over the last several weeks.
A Washington Post-Abt SRBI poll released two days before the September 25 debate found 47 percent of likely Virginia voters support McAuliffe, compared to 39 percent who support Cuccinelli and 10 percent who back Sarvis. A survey that Quinnipiac University conducted between Sept. 9-15 found McAuliffe ahead of Cuccinelli by a 44-41 percent margin. Seven percent of respondents said they support Sarvis.
“When you look at all the polls together, it becomes pretty clear that a lot of my support is coming from independents,” Sarvis told the Blade. “There’s support coming from people who are very much dissatisfied with their party’s candidate. And it comes fairly equally from both sides.”
Sarvis, who lives in Annandale in Fairfax County with his wife Astrid and their two children, left the Republican Party in 2011 after he unsuccessfully challenged current Senate Minority Leader Richard Saslaw (D-Fairfax County.)
“I was a fairly explicitly moderate, libertarian Republican,” Sarvis said. “I learned that the Republican Party just isn’t a good vehicle for liberty candidates. The move to the Libertarian Party kind of frees me up to push hard on the things that I believe in.”
Sarvis ran his first television campaign ad during the September 25 debate between McAuliffe and Cuccinelli. He also highlighted his support of nuptials for gays and lesbians over the summer in an online spot that highlighted the landmark 1967 U.S. Supreme Court case that found the commonwealth’s ban on interracial marriages unconstitutional.
Sarvis said in the ad he may not have been able to marry his wife if Richard and Mildred Loving hadn’t challenged the Virginia law that deemed their D.C. marriage illegal.
“Today Virginia is still not for all lovers,” Sarvis said. “That’s why I want to honor the Loving legacy and lead the fight now in this election to recognize same-sex marriage in Virginia.”
Sarvis stressed to the Blade that some Virginia voters are “deathly afraid” of Cuccinelli becoming the commonwealth’s next governor. He further criticized the attorney general over his decision to appeal three-judge panel’s March ruling that found Virginia’s anti-sodomy law unconstitutional.
“When did he become a judicial activist, asking a court to rewrite the law from a morals legislation to child protection,” Sarvis said, referring to Cuccinelli’s claim the statute protects children. “He’s pretty not credible on that issue and it just goes to show he’s just out of the mainstream on it.”
Sarvis said he feels Republican lieutenant gubernatorial candidate E.W. Jackson is “fairly aligned” with Cuccinelli over their opposition to marriage rights for same-sex couples in Virginia and what he described as his anti-gay rhetoric. He added he feels McAuliffe would not prove an effective advocate for LGBT Virginians in spite of his public support for marriage rights for gays and lesbians in the commonwealth.
“I’m in a really unique position to push that forward, to reach out to people in the GOP and explain to them why it’s such an important issue and why the GOP is wrong,” Sarvis said, referring to strong opposition to the issue in the Virginia House of Delegates. “Starting from the premise that it’s not going to pass is a huge mistake.”
Sarvis said he also supports employment protections for gay employees and LGBT-inclusive discrimination provisions to any group that receives a state subsidy.
“People in public employment should not be discriminated against,” he said. “If you’re employed by the state, certainly the state shouldn’t be allowed to discriminate on the basis of sexual orientation.”
Rehoboth Beach
Rehoboth Summer Kickoff Party set for May 15 with Ashley Biden
The Washington Blade’s 19th annual Summer Kickoff Party is scheduled for Friday, May 15 in Rehoboth Beach, Del.
Ashley Biden, daughter of President Joe Biden, has joined the list of speakers, the Blade announced. She will accept an award on behalf of her brother Beau Biden for his LGBTQ advocacy work as Delaware attorney general. (Her appearance was rescheduled from last year.)
The event, to be held this year at Diego’s (37298 Rehoboth Ave. Ext.) from 5-7 p.m., is a fundraiser for the Blade Foundation’s Steve Elkins Memorial Fellowship in Journalism, which funds a summer position reporting on LGBTQ news in Delaware. This year’s recipient will be introduced at the event.
The event will also feature remarks from state Rep. Claire Snyder-Hall. New CAMP Rehoboth Executive Director Dr. Robin Brennan and Blade editor Kevin Naff will also speak. The event is generously sponsored by Realtor Justin Noble, The Avenue Inn & Spa, and Diego’s.
A suggested donation of $25 is partially tax deductible and includes a drink ticket and light appetizers. Tickets are available in advance at bladefoundation.org/rehoboth or at the door.
District of Columbia
Curve magazine honors Washington Blade publisher
Lynne Brown named to 2026 Power List
Washington Blade Publisher Lynne Brown has been named to the 2026 Curve Power List celebrating LGBTQ+ women and nonbinary individuals in North America who are blazing trails in their chosen fields.
“From sports and entertainment icons to corporate leaders and lawmakers, these individuals are breaking barriers, challenging norms, and shaping the future,” Curve Foundation/Curve magazine said in announcing this year’s list, which includes ABC newscaster Robin Roberts, comedian/actress Hannah Einbinder, and singer/actress Renee Rapp, among others.
Brown has worked for the Washington Blade for nearly 40 years. She was named publisher in 2007 before becoming a co-owner in 2010.
“I am honored to be recognized by Curve magazine during Lesbian Visibility Week,” Brown said. “Receiving this Curve honor is twofold. I was an early subscriber to Curve. I enjoy the product and know its history. Its journalism, layout and humorous features have inspired me.
“As an owner/publisher, receiving recognition from a similar source acknowledges my work and efforts, with a sincerity I truly appreciate. Franco Stevens, the publisher of Curve, is a business person of duration, experience, and purpose. The fact that they are in the media business, and honoring me and my publication makes it a tiny bit sweeter.”
Nominations for the Curve Power List come from the community: peers, mentors, fans, and employers.
Curve explained the significance of the list in its announcement: “An annual, publicly nominated list of impactful LGBTQ+ women and nonbinary changemakers is crucial in current times to counter discrimination, legislative rollbacks, hostility, and the invisibility of queer women within mainstream and marginal spaces and endeavors. Such a list also fosters encouragement and solidarity, and elevates voices and achievements—from high-profile roles to under appreciated areas of life.”
Rehoboth Beach
Auction of Rehoboth’s Blue Moon canceled
Details on sale of iconic bar, restaurant not disclosed
The Blue Moon in Rehoboth Beach, Del., has been an iconic presence in the local LGBTQ community for four decades but its status remains murky after a sheriff’s auction of the property was abruptly called off on Tuesday.
The property was listed for sale in December. At that time, owner Tim Ragan told the Blade that he is committed to preserving its legacy as a gay-friendly space.
“We had no idea the interest this would create,” Ragan said in December. “I guess I was a little naive about that.”
Ragan explained that he and longtime partner Randy Haney were separating the real estate from the business. The two buildings associated with the sale were listed by Carrie Lingo at 35 Baltimore Ave., and include an apartment, the front restaurant (6,600 square feet with three floors and a basement), and a secondary building (roughly 1,800 square feet on two floors). They were listed for $4.5 million.
The bar and restaurant business is being sold separately; the price was not publicly disclosed.
But then, earlier this year, the Blue Moon real estate listing turned up on the Sussex County Sheriff’s Office auction site. The auction was slated for Tuesday, April 21 but hours before the sale, the listing changed to “active under contract” indicating that a buyer has been found but the sale is not yet final. As of Wednesday morning, the listing has been removed from the sheriff’s auction site.
Ragan didn’t respond to Blade inquiries about the auction. Back in December, he told the Blade, “It’s time to look for the next people who can continue the history of the Moon and cultivate the next chapter,” noting that he turns 70 this year. “We’re not panicked; we separated the building from the business. Some buyers can’t afford both.”
The identity of the buyer was not disclosed, nor was the sale price.
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