Corey Johnson (1) celebrates Gay Games gold

Corey Johnson, the former high school football player who famously came out of the closet in 1999, has opened a campaign committee to explore a run for New York City Council in 2013. He seeks to replace current City Council Speaker Christine Quinn, who faces term limits next year (assuming she doesn't suspend term limits for herself as she previously did for Mayor Michael Bloomberg).

Johnson has been politically active since he came out, heavily involved in Democratic Party politics and working on various local and statewide campaigns in New York. He is currently a Community Board Chairman; Community Boards hold a lot of power in Manhattan, where real estate is limited and expensive.

Corey Johnson (1) celebrates Gay Games gold

Corey Johnson, the former high school football player who famously came out of the closet in 1999, has opened a campaign committee to explore a run for New York City Council in 2013. He seeks to replace current City Council Speaker Christine Quinn, who faces term limits next year (assuming she doesn't suspend term limits for herself as she previously did for Mayor Michael Bloomberg).

Johnson has been politically active since he came out, heavily involved in Democratic Party politics and working on various local and statewide campaigns in New York. He is currently a Community Board Chairman; Community Boards hold a lot of power in Manhattan, where real estate is limited and expensive.

Corey told me:

I'm excited for a potential campaign. My whole adult life has been focused on service both in the LGBT movement and for the West Side of Manhattan where I live.

I played football with Corey in the New York Gay Football League for several years, where some of us called him "The future Mayor of New York." He has a strong political background and has a personal "je ne sais quoi" that makes him very easy to cheer for. Oh, and he's darn good at Scramble With Friends – so beware!

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