Democratic presidential contender Bill Richardson, governor of New Mexico and a former U.S. ambassador and cabinet secretary, could be called the Rodney Dangerfield among the field of candidates vying for his party's nomination. No matter what he does, he can't seem to get much respect from the mainstream media following the race.

Take for instance coverage of last weekend's appearance at a gay Pride breakfast in San Francisco by Elizabeth Edwards, wife of former North Carolina Senator John Edwards, who is making his second attempt at the White House. Based on the coverage in the local daily press one would think she was the first person tied to a presidential campaign to make such an appearance.

Yet Richardson, and not his emissary, showed up at the Pride festival in Cedar Rapids, Iowa Saturday, June 2. Unlike Elizabeth Edwards, who went to an LGBT Democratic political club's private event where non-members had to pay $85 to get in, Richardson dropped by the Midwest city's public festival and met with attendees free of charge.

[Curiously enough, an actual presidential candidate took part in San Francisco's Pride parade, but former Alaska Senator Mike Gravel's appearance went unreported by the mainstream press. The reason is right in the lead of the two articles the San Francisco Chronicle published, which touted Elizabeth Edwards's being at the Pride breakfast as "a first for a major presidential candidate or spouse." Gravel polls near the bottom of the pack.]

Also not mentioned in the coverage is that John Edwards could have joined Richardson at the Iowa Pride festival, as could have New York Senator Hillary Clinton, Connecticut Senator Christopher Dodd, and Delaware Senator Joe Biden. All five candidates were in town that day for the Iowa Democratic Party's Hall of Fame dinner. Clinton had even been rumored to attend but never showed.

The lack of attention is par for the course for Richardson, whom polls show is in fourth place behind Clinton, Edwards, and Illinois Senator Barack Obama, and thus, not a "top-tier candidate" in the minds of the political press corps and electoral pundits. His being the first Latino presidential candidate has yet to lift his prospects, mainly because his being Hispanic is not easily recognizable from his name, as the New York Times pointed out in a recent article on immigration.

"It is a problem, I am trying to correct it. I've got seven months to do that," said Richardson during a brief phone interview with the Bay Area Reporter June 12 while in San Jose.

One tactic he has deployed is to focus on the LGBT community, particularly in the West. He met with the Stonewall Democrats' Las Vegas chapter, and in California, he spoke at a Human Rights Campaign dinner in Los Angeles and met with West Hollywood leaders the day after that city's Pride event. He has stopped in Sacramento and plans to visit San Francisco soon.

"I can use a little more support from the gay rights community, both political and financial support. I believe I have the record. I am making inroads," said Richardson. "I am not complaining but I do wish I had more support, given my record and what I have said I would do as president."

B.A.R. publisher Thomas E. Horn, who was born and raised in New Mexico and whose family has been involved in the state's politics – an uncle served as a state legislator and then the state's Democratic Party chair in the 1950s and 1960s – first met Richardson when he served as a congressman.

"I really think he is the most qualified Democrat in the race for president," Horn wrote in an e-mail. "His track record is exceptional. He's done a fine job as governor ... and was re-elected with around 70 percent of the vote."

Horn, who said he expects to make an endorsement in the primary but has yet to back a candidate, said winning the southwest will be key to the Democrats taking back the White House. Not only does he see Richardson having an advantage in the West, but Horn also praised his gay rights track record.

"If a Democrat carries New Mexico, Colorado, and Nevada, we don't need Ohio or Florida to win. Richardson is very popular throughout the southwest and stands the best chance of being able to do that," wrote Horn. "His record of LGBT issues has always been stellar."

Not everyone agrees. Blogger Chris Crain, former editor of the Washington Blade, noted when given the opportunity to at least partially disavow his support for the Defense of Marriage Act during an interview with the Advocate published in May, Richardson stuck by his vote. He told the gay magazine that he supports civil unions over same-sex marriage.

Crain also pointed out that Byron "Whizzer" White, the justice Richardson named his "model Supreme Court justice" during a candidate debate, authored the anti-choice dissent in Roe v. Wade and the majority opinion in the anti-gay Bowers v. Hardwick decision. [The 2003 Lawrence v. Texas decision overturned Bowers .]

For his part, Richardson points to his vote against the anti-gay "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" military policy when he was in Congress and his calling for it to be repealed on the campaign trail.

"I always thought it was unjust. I would make a major effort to repeal it," he said. "I would instruct my secretary of Defense and Joint Chiefs of Staff that the American military will not stand for discrimination. If gays and lesbians are willing to fight and die for their country, they should be allowed to serve."

He said he supports allowing foreign-born partners of LGBT Americans to immigrate to the country. While governor, Richardson has passed hate crime laws, provided health insurance to domestic partners, and tried to get a domestic partnership law passed in a special session of his state's legislature.

"I have done things. I am not just a politician," said Richardson. "I would be gay and lesbian friendly as demonstrated by my record as governor and what I would do as president."

His focus right now is on Iowa, New Hampshire, Nevada, and California, all states with early caucuses and primaries in 2008. He said he remains confident about his chances, and the more he campaigns the more support he receives. In May some polls pegged him with 10 percent support among likely voters.

Just this week his campaign released internal polling data showing him up to 13 percent among Iowa caucus voters. When the poll of 500 people was broken down to those "likeliest" to vote, Richardson garnered 18 percent, edging out Obama from third place by two percentage points. Edwards came in first place with 31 percent and Clinton second with 23 percent.

"My poll numbers are going up. I am starting to break out," said Richardson.