Jay Fisette | |
|---|---|
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| Chair of the Arlington County Board | |
| In office January 1998 – December 2017 | |
| Preceded by | Ellen M. Bozman |
| Succeeded by | Erik Gutshall |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Gerald N. Fisette, Jr. (1956-02-25)February 25, 1956 (age 69)[1] |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouse | Bob Rosen |
| Residence(s) | Arlington County,Virginia |
| Alma mater | Bucknell University University of Pittsburgh |
| Profession | Politician |
Gerald N. "Jay" Fisette Jr. (born February 25, 1956) is an American politician inArlington County,Virginia. He became the state'sfirst openly gay elected official when he was elected to the five-person Arlington CountyBoard in 1997. Fisette won four reelections and served as the County Board Chair in 2001, 2005, 2010, 2014 and 2017, his last year in office. He is a member of theDemocratic Party. Fisette previously worked for the federal government and at a local nonprofit health center.
Fisette received his Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science fromBucknell University in 1978.[2] Fisette said he chose that field of study because he "learned that government was a force for good, and public service was a noble profession." Following his graduation, he spent 18 months inSan Francisco, a time where he accepted his identity as agay man. According to Fisette, "It was here, in the recent aftermath ofHarvey Milk's death that I started to recognize the importance of having openly gay men andlesbians in elected office."[1] He then attended theUniversity of Pittsburgh where he received his Master of Arts degree in Public and International Affairs in 1983.[2]
After graduating Fisette moved to Arlington where he began work as an auditor for theGeneral Accounting Office. From 1988-1989, he worked as a staff consultant for theSenate Labor and Human Resources Committee.[3] During the late 1980s, he became involved with the Arlington Gay and Lesbian Alliance, alocal LGBT rights organization.[1] From 1990 to 1998, Fisette served as the director of theWhitman-Walker Clinic of Northern Virginia, a non-profit community health center that specialized inHIV/AIDS care.[2]
In 1993, Fisette ran for a seat on Arlington County's Board after Democratic board member William T. Newman Jr. resigned to become a circuit court judge.[4] In March of that year he defeated three other candidates in the Democratic primary, thanks to support from national gay rights groups, including theGay & Lesbian Victory Fund, and RepresentativeBarney Frank, a gay member of Congress.[5][6] The following month Fisette lost to Benjamin Winslow, anindependent candidate endorsed byRepublicans, in the special election by 206 votes.[5][7] Four years later in 1997 Fisette decided to run again after County Board chair Ellen M. Bozman chose not run for reelection.[8] He ran as a "social progressive and fiscal conservative" who would "hold down taxes, attract new jobs and protect the suburb's diverse neighborhoods." He downplayed the importance of his sexual orientation by saying "I am clearly a proud gay man, but that's not all I am." He ultimately won the election that November, becoming the first openly gay elected official in Virginia. His win was applauded by national LGBT activists and he became one of a dozen gay and lesbian candidates who won elections throughout the country that November.[9][10]
In 2001, Fisette became chair of the County Board, his first of five terms in the rotating position.[2] Under his leadership that year, the county's emergency response was praised following theSeptember 11 attacks onThe Pentagon.[11] He won reelection that November, easily defeating Republican candidate Michael W. Clancy.[7] In August 2003, Fisette announced he would challenge RepresentativeJim Moran forVirginia's 8th congressional district seat, saying he had experience in education, homeland security, and housing issues.[11] Fisette withdrew from the race less than two weeks later.[12] He ran unopposed for the County Board in 2005, and in 2009, easily defeatedGreen Party candidate John G. Reeder. Four years later, he defeated another Green Party candidate, Audrey R. Clement, in the 2013 election.[7] When Moran announced his retirement from Congress in 2014, Fisette was one of the names mentioned as a possible replacement.[13] He declined to run though, citing "the contrast between the dysfunctional climate onCapitol Hill and the can-do atmosphere in Arlington" as the main reason.[14] Fisette declined to run for reelection in 2017 citing the desire for a career change and "embracing and advancing a set of progressive values that are so important to me, values we have championed here in Arlington that are threatened by the [Trump] administration." He is the second-longest-serving board member in the county's history.[15]
During his tenure, Fisette cited environmentalsustainability and a balanced budget as two of his main priorities.[16] Environmental issues which he advocated for includedaddressing climate change,phasing-out plastic bags, and encouraging people to no longer buy single use plastic water bottles.[17][18][19] He also played a large role in establishing theCapital Bikeshare program.[20] He was named 2013's "Best Elected Official" byArlington Magazine.[21]
| Year | Subject | Party | Votes | % | Opponent | Party | Votes | % | Opponent | Party | Votes | % | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1993 | Jay Fisette | Democratic | 9.143 | 49.4 | B.H. "Ben" Winslow, Jr. | Independent | 9,349 | 50.6 | |||||||
| 1997 | Jay Fisette | Democratic | 29,127 | 61.9 | Amy M. Jones-Baskaran | Independent | 17,906 | 38.0 | Write-in | 31 | >0.1 | ||||
| 2001 | Jay Fisette | Democratic | 30,214 | 60.8 | Michael W. Clancy | Republican | 19,293 | 38.9 | Write-in | 57 | >0.1 | ||||
| 2005 | Jay Fisette | Democratic | 43,978 | 97.4 | Write-in | 1,196 | 2.6 | ||||||||
| 2009 | Jay Fisette | Democratic | 31,333 | 66.3 | John G. Reeder | Green | 14,970 | 31.7 | Write-in | 975 | 2.1 | ||||
| 2013 | Jay Fisette | Democratic | 38,213 | 66.3 | Audrey R. Clement | Green | 17,916 | 31.1 | Write-in | 1,482 | 2.6 |
Fisette is married to Bob Rosen, author ofThe New York Times best sellerGrounded andclinical psychologist who founded Healthy Companies International. They were married on their 30th anniversary on September 17, 2013, atAll Souls Church, Unitarian inWashington, D.C. The couple chose to marry following theInternal Revenue Service's announcement that same-sex marriages performed in jurisdictions where it was legal would be recognized for federal tax purposes, no matter where the couple lived.[22] After the wedding, Fisette stated: "The world is changing. If you would have asked us 15 years ago if we would ever have the opportunity to get married, we would have said, 'Not in our lifetime.'" Less than one year after their weddingsame-sex marriage in Virginia was legalized.[23] The couple have lived in Arlington'sAshton Heights neighborhood since 1987.[2] In April 2011, their front yard was featured in a three-page article, titled "Front Yard Face-lift", inSouthern Living magazine.[24]
Fisette is a member of several organizations, including the Arlington Committee of 100, Arlington Gay and Lesbian Alliance, Ashton Heights Civic Association, Equality Virginia, Leadership Greater Washington,Unitarian Universalist Church of Arlington, and the Washington Area Bicyclist Association.[2]
