his sexual orientation a week later. Some public commentary questioned how this disclosure would affect his prospects for re-election in 2006 in a rural, right-leaning district, but he won by over 12 percentage points. However, he disappointed pro-same-sex marriage advocates by voting against the Minnesota Marriage and Family Protection Act, a DFL-backed proposal to legalize same-sex civil unions in the state. On June 15, 2010, gay news site TheSword.com stated that Koering went on a dinner date in Brainerd with gay pornographic actor Brandon Wilde. He admitted to the date with Wilde and told The Sword, "I don't see anything wrong with going out with him." In light of the story, the Minnesota Republican Party further distanced themselves from Koering. After losing the August 2010 primary election to Tea Party movement-backed candidate Paul Gazelka by a vote of 57 to 43 percent, he announced his withdrawal from the Republican Party, backing DFL Party candidate Taylor Stevenson's bid for the District 12 seat. Koering drew national criticism for his comments regarding people who have died from drug overdose. He was quoted by the Brainerd Dispatch as saying, “I don’t know why we’re in such a big hurry to save somebody like this. I guess it sounds kind of harsh, but it kind of gets rid of a problem, in my mind,” during the March 19, 2019 Crow Wing County Board meeting. References External links Senator Koering Web Page Minnesota Public Radio Votetracker: Senator Paul Koering Paul Koering Campaign Web Site Koering Not Concerned About Overdose Deaths 1964 births Living people People from Brainerd, Minnesota Republican Party Minnesota state senators Gay politicians LGBT Christians LGBT state legislators in Minnesota 21st-century American politicians