Council Candidate Wins Despite Antigay Campaign

An antigay campaign that claimed gay Rancho Mirage, Calif., city council candidate Scott Hines would "infect" the city's government failed with Hines narrowly winning Thursday's election by 11 votes.

"I am very saddened for many of my friends in this valley who live with HIV and that someone would make light of [their condition], or say if you are friends with a gay person, you infect others," Hines told the Palm Springs newspaper Daily Sun. The paper also reported that Hines's closest challenger is considering calling for a recount, which he will have to pay for.