All eyes are on Oregon as we cast our ballots in the May 20th presidential Primary. (Don’t forget to mail your ballot by Friday, or else you’ll want to drop it off at an official ballot drop site.)

Meanwhile, we’ve told you about dozens of local candidates who deserve your vote. The Basic Rights Equality PAC supports local and statewide candidates who will make a real difference for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender Oregonians - and whose races could be decided by just a few hundred votes.

As we focus our energy on state and local races, one Basic Rights Oregon leader has landed in a national spotlight.

Meet Frank Dixon: superdelegate, Oregonian, BRO Board Member and gay American.

Frank is a longtime LGBT community leader and a tireless champion of equal rights. He has been a BRO Board Member since 2002, and served as Co-Chair for several years. In 2006, Frank helped lead BRO as co-interim Director.

“Basic Rights Oregon is a great personal and political anchor in our struggle for civil rights and full equality,” Frank said when we caught up with him the other day. “With BRO’s support, each of us can do our part to help all Oregonians realize the American dream.”

Frank founded the LGBT Caucus of the Democratic Party of Oregon (DPO), a growing organization in our state. Most recently, he was elected Vice Chair of the DPO, which makes him a superdelegate in Oregon’s Democratic presidential primary.

It also makes him the center of attention. “Both Senator Obama and Senator Clinton are aware that I am gay and that I have a domestic partner,” Frank said. “I have met with each one of theses remarkable candidates on several occasions in the last month. We look forward to expanding LGBT participation in the Democratic National Committee and the next administration under the leadership of a Democratic President.”

And what about the big question: Obama or Clinton? “Let’s focus on the Oregon primary, and I will look to the results on May 20th before making a decision,” Frank told us. “Now is the time to work to elect your candidate by going to the oregondemocrats.org web site and volunteering for one of the campaigns.”

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