Even as he vowed to protect gay rights, Democrats in the Iowa Senate on Sunday chose to keep Sen. Mike Gronstal as their majority leader.

No one mounted a challenge for the leadership role, several senators said after they finished a private two-hour meeting at the Iowa Capitol.

Senate Democrats also voted to keep Sen. Jack Kibbie, D-Emmetsburg, as Senate president.

ACCESSline, Iowa's newspaper for the LGBT and HIV+ communities and their allies, endorses Matt McCoy for Iowa Senate, 31st District. The McCoy campaign seeks support of district residents.

Senator Matt McCoy is facing Dave Leach, a Des Moines anti-abortion activist and vocal supporter of a man convicted of murdering a Kansas abortion provider. Leach says he “fell on the floor” each time he saw television commercials that feature McCoy and other prominent Iowans saying fear won’t stop them from interacting normally with people living with HIV+. Leach's comments made it clear that he is completely ignorant about how HIV is spread, and indicate (with his past anti-gay statements) that as a senator he would be completely unsympathetic to the very real needs of LGBT and HIV+ citizens.

The McCoy campaign has provided the following information for providing support:

Here's how you can help: Yard Signs are here and we need your support. If you live in Senator McCoy's district request a McCoy for Senate sign for your yard! Fill out the form at www.mccoyforsenate.com/index.php/vote-2010/yard-signs and help get Matt reelected!

Stay in touch with McCoy for Senate by signing up for text alerts. McCoy Mobile is a free service to keep you informed of important news and events. Sign-up at www.mccoyforsenate.com/index.php/vote-2010/mccoy-mobile.

To find out more about Senator Matt McCoy checkout his website, www.mccoyforsenate.com.

Iowa State Senator Matt McCoy, the first openly gay member of the Iowa Legislature, describes why he thinks Iowa won't to backwards on marriage rights.