I wasn’t surprised to learn about the whisper campaigns, insinuations and push-polls some of the people opposed to my candidacy have been using to raise questions about my personal life. They want people to question whether I am gay.

Allow me to save them the trouble with a simple, honest answer: “Yes I am. But why should it matter?”

...Growing up in a large Franco-American Catholic family, it’s never been in my nature to talk about myself. I write this now merely to let my opponents and the outside interests who fund them know that I am not ashamed of who I am. And if seeing someone from my background, in my position openly acknowledge the fact that he’s gay makes it a little bit easier for future generations to live their lives openly and without fear, all the better.

Michaud went on to recount being a lifelong Mainer—including three decades at the same paper mill his father and grandfather worked at—and the value of judging people on the content of their character, "not by their race, ethnicity, gender or sexual orientation."

He's got our vote—well, he would if we lived in Maine.

President Obama has voiced his support for ENDA, saying it would be "offensive" not to pass workplace protections for LGBT people. He also praised Monday's vote as "common sense": "Slowly, surely, we're starting to see a some common sense starting to prevail. It hasn't quite gotten over the hump, but you're starting to see it in the Senate in particular where we had already gotten the vote on immigration reform. Bipartisan vote, it's ready to go.”

Apple CEO Tim Cook has also endorsed ENDA: In an op-ed piece in the Sunday Wall Street Journal  he wrote, "So long as the law remains silent on the workplace rights of gay and lesbian Americans we as a nation are effectively consenting to discrimination against them." Cook, who is rumored to be gay himself, said ENDA offers an upside for employers, as well: "It also turns out to be great for the creativity that drives our business. We've found that when people feel valued for who they are, they have the comfort and confidence to do the best work of their lives."

The Pulp Fiction star will play Tom McCourt, a middle-aged gay man trying to survive after an electronic pulse turns people into bloodthirsty, homicidal monsters. So they become Tea Party Republicans?

Paranormal Activity 2 helmer Tod Williams directs, with John Cusack co-starring.