Donation puts race in spotlight

In her bid to become Virginia’s first openly transgender lawmaker, Democrat Danica Roem is getting a major boost from a donor who lives 800 miles away. .

Milwaukee County Executive Chris Abele, a Democrat, has given $115,000 to Roem’s candidacy, nearly half of the money she has raised so far, and plans to keep contributing.

Abele, who is straight, sees a chance to make history by helping elect the first openly transgender candidate for a state legislature.

The Wisconsin politician said there would be a “bit of poetry” if Roem unseated Robert Marshall, a Republican and a 25-year incumbent who has gained notoriety for unsuccessful efforts to ban same-sex marriage and restrict which bathrooms transgender people can use.

In a state without limits on campaign contributions, Roem declared her own cap and pledged she would not accept any donation greater than $500.

And then, during the spring Democratic primary race, Roem learned a hard political lesson.

She was trailing two rivals in campaign cash. She needed $14,000 to pay her staff and send out mailers.

After seeing her opponents’ April fundraising reports, she rethought her vow. A short time later, Abele and other board members of the Victory Fund spoke with Roem in a conference call.

Abele sent $10,000 after the conference call. .

Roem says Abele’s generosity allows her to spend more time talking to voters about local issues.

Marshall blasted Abele as a “multimillionaire radical sexual ideologue” who wants to “buy the election for Danica to impose laws penalizing those who adhere to the ‘Laws of Nature and Nature’s God.’ ”