will probably elect its first openly gay mayor.

http://www.projo.com/extra/election/conten...mayor.3b6c.html

pardon my ignorance, but have there been other openly gay mayors elected in major u.s. cities? (though i guess providence doesn't really qualify as a "major" city any more)

Chapel Hill, N.C., "the Berkeley of the Southland", is one, but it probably doesn't qualify as a major city either.

Cambridge, Massachusetts had a gay mayor in the 1980s and 1990s: Ken Reeves. He might have been the first openly gay, Black mayor of a moderate-sized city in U.S. history.

There were rumors that Ed Koch (New York) was a member of the circle, but no proof has ever emerged. Does anyone remember the slogan from the Koch-Cuomo gubernatorial race of years ago? "Vote for Cuomo, not the homo?" Pretty offensive.

Doesn't West Hollywood have a gay majority on the city council? That may ultimately be more important than mayor in local politics.

It's not in the US but Winnipeg, Manitoba could be considered a major city (by Canadian standard) and it has a gay mayor.

Another town in the US with a gay mayor is Plattsburgh NY near the Quebec border. I know, I know... it's not a major city!