Last night was the big mayoral candidate forum for the LGBT and ally community hosted by the Nashville LGBT Chamber of Commerce, the Tennessee Stonewall Bar Association, Tennessee Transgender Political Coalition, and Tennessee Equality Project.

Every candidate announced support for marriage equality and every candidate indicated a willingness to officate the weddings of same-sex couples. 

On the eve of the Supreme Court marriage ruling this is good news.  No doubt a general shift in attitudes around the country has helped.  But let's not forget the work of current Nashville Mayor Karl Dean who has taken so many first leaps in Tennessee.  Mayor Dean was the first in Tennessee to sign Freedom to Marry's pledge and he was the first to sign and work for an inclusive non-discrimination ordinance brought by the Metro Council.  His public stands on concrete issues, including his opposition to anti-equality state legislation, have sent a strong signal that Nashville is and must be a welcoming place.  It's great that all the candidates to replace him are in tune with where the city is heading.