Openly Gay Jim Neal Announces Run For U.S. Senate In North Carolina

Former Wall Street investor Jim Neal, 50, of Chapel Hill announced he was running for the U.S. Senate. He will be competing in the May primary against Democratic NC State Senator Kay Hagan who dropped out of the race but jumped back in after a call from U.S. Senator Chuck Schumer, who heads the Democratic Party's efforts to recruit Senate candidates.

Neal was the first Democrat to step up to challenge Republican U.S. Senator Elizabeth Dole. He falls into a coveted category of candidates: self-funder, someone who will sink a chunk of his own wealth into the race.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours from ECCO!

Michigan Governor Adds Trans Protections

Gov. Jennifer Granholm issued an order that bars discrimination against state workers based on their "gender identity or expression," which protects the rights of those who behave, dress or identify as members of the opposite sex. The order adds gender identity to a list of other prohibited grounds for discrimination that includes religion, race, color, national origin, age, sex, sexual orientation, height, weight, marital status, politics, disability or genetic information.

Barney Endorses Hillary

The Clinton campaign announced the endorsement of Massachusetts Congressman Barney Frank and named him as an Economic Advisor to the campaign.

ENDA Passes U.S. House Of Representatives; Senate Next

The U.S. House of Representatives passed the Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA), which would make it illegal to fire, refuse to hire or fail to promote an employee because of the person's real or perceived sexual orientation (religious institutions and the military are exempt). The 235-184 vote capped an effort started in 1974 by two Democratic New York members of Congress: Bella Abzug and Ed Koch. A motion introduced by Republican opponents to kill the bill by recommitting it to committee lost by a vote of 222-198.

Many gay rights activists opposed the final bill because the final version didn't include protection for transgender people, including those who have changed their sex, who are living their lives as the other sex or who do not conform to traditional gender roles.

Senators Edward Kennedy (D) and Susan Collins (R) will introduce the bill in the Senate, where it failed by just one vote in 1996. Already, 20 states, 276 municipalities (including the District) and 433 of the Fortune 500 companies ban discrimination based on sexual orientation.