The transgendered Libertarian lesbian, of black,The transgendered Libertarian lesbian, of black,American Indian and caucasian descent, admitsThe transgendered Libertarian lesbian, of black,American Indian and caucasian descent, admitsher bid for Congress from California is a 'long shot.' The transgendered Libertarian lesbian, of black,American Indian and caucasian descent, admitsher bid for Congress from California is a 'long shot.'The Associated Press In fact, by running for Congress, this Wharton alumna is trying to become part of the government. But should she win her long-shot race, the starchy House would never be quite the same. Michael was born a hermaphrodite and says she had "sexual reassignment surgery" in 1984. She is now a lesbian who also happens to be of black, American Indian and white descent. She is also a Messianic Jew who believes the Messiah has already come. She is an entrepreneur and former accountant, hosts a political show on public-access TV and lists her heroes as former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, Theodore Roosevelt and Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee. Michael, 40, was a Republican until two years ago when she defected to the Libertarian Party. She still preaches a staunch conservatism that sells in the foothills of the San Gabriel Mountains north of Los Angeles. Residents first elected right-leaning GOP Rep. Carlos Moorhead in 1972. Moorhead is retiring at the end of this year. Michael's top priorities are reducing the size of the federal government and its budget deficit. She wants to eliminate the IRS and supports Proposition 209, which would eliminate affirmative action programs in government contracting and hiring, and in college admissions. Yet her background stands out in the suburban district, where hubs Burbank, Glendale and Pasadena don't exactly have thriving gay cultures. "I tend not to be very connected to the gay community," said Michael, who lives in Glendale. "Most of my friends are straight. And a lot of gay people are Democrats." The focus on her sexual history is "old hat," she said, known within GOP circles when she ran for state Senate in 1988 and by the public at large when she ran for the Assembly in 1990. In both races, as in her 1994 primary challenge of Moorhead, Michael ran as a Republican. "Most people know about it and care or don't care, but more people care about saving their country," Michael said. "And they want someone who's more loyal to their country than to foreign lobbyists. "Most people who vote and care about the issues could care less about that little bit of my personal history," said Michael, who was born Alannia Aliza Elizabeth Michael in Philadelphia. Michael says she is the first "transgendered" person to run for Congress, but isn't doing it for the sake of trailblazing. "I did it because I love the country," she said. "I see my involvement in politics as totally removed from whether I had a sex change, whether I'm a lesbian, what my personal social life is. "I am involved in politics because the people involved in politics now are ruining the country," she added. Michael is not stumping in the traditional way. She does much of her work on the Internet, trying to get out the vote for Libertarian congressional candidates across the country. As chairperson of the Libertarian National Congressional Committee, she likes to say that if she gets enough Libertarians and herself elected she would be speaker of the House. But she is not counting on it. "I'm not thrilled about my chances" of winning the seat, she said. "I was a lot more optimistic a year ago than I am now." She doesn't believe supporters of Pat Buchanan, who challenged GOP presidential nominee Bob Dole in the primaries, will turn out. Those disaffected Buchanan backers are a natural fit with her own conservatism, she said. Michael voted Republican for 14 years but switched two years ago because "the party basically was selling rhetoric and not implementing anything." She also tired of GOP "attacks on gays and lesbians and women," she said. Democratic challenger Doug Kahn and Republican foe James Rogan say they aren't worried about Michael's campaign. Libertarians have supported Rogan, the Assembly majority leader, in prior races, said spokesperson Jeff Lennan. Kahn campaign manager Ted Toppin said Michael is "well spoken on her beliefs" but will draw "less then 5 percent in the general election, and I guarantee it." "It's unfortunate but this is a two-party system, and Libertarians will have little impact 'til they start communicating with voters [through] mail, TV or radio," Toppin said. "Michael doesn't have a campaign that is doing that."
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